Tea Caddy Scoop
Date1849
Mediumsterling silver and gilt
Dimensions5 1/2 inches (14 cm)
MarkingsMaker's mark stamped on the handle back: GU [in rectangle];
Hallmarks on the handle back: a [in oval]; Birmingham anchor; lion passant; queen's head
Credit LineGift of Frank A. Rizza, M.D. and family.
Object number2012.15.109
CopyrightThe images and text contained on this page are owned by Telfair Museums or used by the Museum with permission from the owners. Unauthorized reproduction, transmission or display of these materials is prohibited with the exception of items deemed “fair use” as defined by U.S. and international copyright laws.Label TextA caddy scoop is a spoon used for measuring out dried tea leaves from a tea caddy or container. Traditionally made of silver, they were in common use in the 19th century. Tea caddy scoops of good quality, such as this one, were made from one piece of silver, eliminating potential weaknesses from the bowl being soldered to the handle. Silver was the preferred material when it came to caddy spoons, as tea was a more expensive commodity, and using a silver utensil was seen to enhance the taste of the tea.
Silversmith George Unite was born in Birmingham, England in 1798, and apprenticed to Joseph Willmore in 1810. He worked in partnership with James Hilliard from 1825, but also registered his own maker's mark, GU, with the Birmingham Assay Office in 1832. The Hilliard partnership ended before 1845, and Unite continued business under his own name. The business became George Unite & Sons c. 1865. Unite died in 1896 and the company merged with William Henry Lyde's electroplate company in 1928, to become George Unite Sons & Lyde Ltd.
