Presentation ladle

c. 1823

Maker

Andrew E. Warner I (1786-1870)

Measurements

8-5/8 in x 2-3/8 in x 1-3/8 in

Materials

Silver

Credit Line

Historic Odessa Foundation, gift of H. Rodney Sharp

Accession Number

1959.3551

Inscription

“Premium from the / A.S of MD. / for the best Hearth Rug / from the hand of Genl. La, Fayette / 1824” is engraved on the front of the handle.  “A.E.WARNER” in relief within a rectangle, along with two pseudo hallmarks and a pseudo date letter “E” are stamped into the underside of the handle.

Provenance

Ex coll. H. Rodney Sharp

Comments

The ladle has a round bowl with a down-turned fiddleback handle.  The underside of the handle bears the maker’s mark as well as Baltimore assay marks, namely a touch with the arms of the State of Maryland, bust of Liberty (shown wearing a Liberty Cap), and a date letter “E” denoting the year 1823.  The Maryland state legislature passed the Assay Act in 1814, creating the Baltimore Assay Office that required the assay of silver made in Baltimore.  The act established a level of silver purity of 11 ounces pure silver for every 12 ounces, or 91.7% pure silver, higher than the common coin standard of 90% but below the sterling standard of 92.5%.

The engraved inscription on the handle references the “A S” of Maryland--namely, the Agricultural Society--and the year 1824.  The organization, established in 1818, rescheduled its fall events in 1824 to accommodate a visit by the Marquis de Lafayette, also referenced on the inscription.  Lafayette, a hero of the American Revolution, visited Baltimore from October 8 to 11, 1824, as part of his grand tour of all thirteen original colonies.  He was asked to hand out "premiums" (i.e., awards) at the festivities.  This presentation ladle is one of them.