English Silverplate Spoon Warmer

Food served with a cold spoon may cool down too quickly for those with discriminating tastes! Even worse, a dish with rich, fatty gravy may congeal unappealingly on its way to your plate. Much like the large variety of serving dishes that had hot water compartments, so also the enchanting spoon warmers were invented. Filled with hot water in the kitchen, they were brought to the table along with the serving spoons which were stored in them to be kept warm until used.

Spoon warmers make even more sense when we remember how chilly and drafty British homes could be for much of the year - with most dining rooms having no central heat and only perhaps a fireplace for warmth. Households with servants urged their staff to hurry from kitchen to dining room so food could be served hot, or at least warm, on heated plates. (Keeping the plates hot was also a big deal, but that’s another story!) Hot food was not only more appetizing, but proof of a well-run home. 

Found at market in the north of England, this lovely Antique Silverplate Spoon Warmer with its traditional compartment to hold hot water and spoons. Set upon three delicately shaped decorative feet to elevate the piece and prevent damage to the table surface, the warmer's bold sculptural silhouette is at once fresh, yet timeless. Topped with an articulated branch finial serving as a carrying handle to minimize contact with the boiling hot surface of the warmer, gorgeous serving pieces like this elegant warmer were never part of a mass production and rarely appear today. Highly sought after and collectible, it promises to make a striking addition to your table or buffet.

Strictly one-of-a-kind and subject to prior sale. In very good antique condition. Measures 8.5" x 4.5".