Material

iron

Dimensions

Overall: 25 7/8 x 2 1/8in. (65.7 x 5.4cm) Diam of bowl: 5 1/2in. (14cm)

Creation Date

circa 1750 – 1830

Description

Wrought iron ladle with a long, round-sectioned handle which narrows as it approaches the very worn, once-circular bowl. Upper end of handle flattens out and broadens before terminating in a "ram's horn" scroll.

This instantly recognizable kitchen utensil has been around since ancient times, and can be called either a ladle or a dipper. Whether you think of this humble device as an oversize spoon or a bowl with a long handle, one simply can't prepare or serve certain foods without one. Equally handy in stirring a bubbling stew or dispensing a bowl of soup from a boiling pot, the ladle is the perfect tool to do the tasks it was created for, and is unlikely to be replaced by a more efficient gadget.

Provenance

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Gift of Miss Vivian Sprinkle. Provenance: Miss Blanche Elizabeth Sprikle, Roanoke, VA

Kitchen Artifact ID

Acc. No. 1958-97