My Tea, Please, Caddy Trivia Quiz

Answer: Silver

There are several reasons for this. Silver caddy spoons were extremely fashionable, so large numbers of them were made. Their lightness meant they were less expensive than most types of silverware. They tended to have personal and sentimental significance, so they were also more likely to be saved as heirlooms. Probably many more spoons in less expensive materials were made, but then discarded over the years.

Other materials used included wood, horn, tortoiseshell, bone, ivory, natural sea shells, mother-of-pearl, coconut shell, stone, ceramics, and glass.

Old Sheffield plate spoons (rolled silver fused onto copper plate) were a speciality of Sheffield. Close-plated and electroplated spoons can also be found. Modern caddy spoons are sometimes silver or silverplated, but many are brass. Even plastic is still used!

Descriptions and history of the caddy spoon are as documented in "Caddy Spoons, an Illustrated Guide" (published 1988) and "Caddy Spoons, an Illustrated Supplement," (1998) both by John Norie, who was an avid collector and painstaking historian. He was quite literally "the man who wrote the book" on his subject. His work remains the definitive reference. Unfortunately, the books are out of print, and in great demand by collectors, so they command very high prices. After his death, Norie's collection was sold at auction in 2004.

Answer: Birmingham

Birmingham acquired a reputation as a center where silversmiths specialized in "toys" which included boxes, buckles, and special-purpose utensils as well as miniatures and playthings. Sheffield manufacturers perfected the fused-plate process as well as the machinery that revolutionized manufacture of tableware.

Beautiful caddy spoons were manufactured at all these locations, however.

Answer: Whitby jet

Silver filigree, natural seashells, and agate are not uncommon among the examples found in books, exhibitions, and dealers' stocks. Jet, a compacted form of coal, was a soft substance that could hardly stand up to regular scooping! If spoons were made of jet, they would likely have been intended as souvenir novelties rather than for actual use.

Answer: Her spoons often have shell-shaped bowls and delicate engraving on the handles.

Hester retired in 1789, at the age of 81, having been the acting head of her firm until then. She was succeeded by her sons Peter and Jonathan, but Jonathan died only months later. Peter then went into partnership with Jonathan's widow Ann. William, son of Jonathan and Ann, joined the firm shortly afterward. Ann retired in 1795, but Peter and William continued.

Spoons marked between 1790 and 1795 were marked PB/IB or PB/AB. They continued and elaborated on Hester's early designs, and are often considered superior in style and workmanship.

Answer: Trefoil or clover

Only one trefoil is documented in the literature. Another one has been reported, but it may refer to the same spoon. The spoon was pictured in John Norie's second book on the subject, "Caddy Spoons, an Illustrated Supplement." It bears the mark of silversmith George Day, the assay stamp for London, and the date mark for 1813. After Norie's death, it was sold at auction in April 2004.

The eagle's wing is generally said to be the most desirable design, used as the emblem for the Society of Caddy Spoon Collectors. It is large, detailed and elaborate, but a number of specimens are known. Hands, of which about 50 period silver specimens are documented, had a brief fashion between 1805 and 1811. Jockey's caps are the most common of these expensive and desirable types. Their many designs have made them a favorite. Jockey's caps and hands were also made in non-precious materials at the time, but relatively few have survived.

Answer: A Malaysian word referring to a unit of measure.

A "kati" weighed about 1.3 pounds or 0.6 kg. It was enough to fill a generous-sized box. Most personal tea caddies (also called tea vases or tea canisters) were considerably smaller.

Answer: Older spoons are always more expensive than newer ones of the same style.

Older spoons may have great historical interest, but rarity, beauty of style, and reputation of the maker may add greatly to the prices of somewhat later specimens.

Answer: Because of their lightness and limited use of silver, they are relatively inexpensive.

Caddy spoons are widely collected and in demand, so their prices are high, and not likely to decline soon.

Answer: The openings filtered out loose tea dust while scooping up the larger leaves.

An earlier type of spoon, called the mote spoon, has a pierced bowl and may have been used at the tea table for skimming stray leaves out of the cups. Although caddy spoons could be purchased in variations of popular silver patterns, the fanciest ones did not typically match teaspoon types. Overly-heavy spoons would have been quite uncommon, as the intended purpose was scooping out small quantities of dried leaves.

Answer: Caddy spoons are obsolete, therefore new ones are hardly ever produced.

Loose tea is still sold for those who enjoy tradition with their cup of tea. Souvenir and commemorative caddy spoons are probably the most often types produced today. While it's not strictly traditional, I use a 19th-century Dutch caddy spoon to measure coffee beans because it's the perfect size for the job!