Silver Anointing Spoons and Shell Dish Set

• Scallop / Shell Motif - The shell motif has been used in furniture and decorative arts for centuries. In ancient Greece and Rome, shells were often used as decorative elements on furniture and in mosaics. The scallop or cockleshell are the most commonly used. During the Renaissance, the shell motif became popular in furniture and architecture, as the ornate decoration was seen as a symbol of wealth and luxury. In the 18th century, the Rococo style of furniture and decorative arts featured an abundance of shell motifs, and it was used by Thomas Chippendale and as a feature on Queen Anne style cabriole legs. In the 19th century, the shell motif was incorporated into Victorian furniture and decorative items, and often a representation of the the conch shell was inlaid into furniture.
  
  

• Foliate - Decorated with leaves or leaf-like forms.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• James Dixon & Sons, (England) - silver tableware 223
• Mappin & Webb (England) - silver, maker or retailer 203
• silver cutlery / flatware, patterns
  • scroll pattern 96
  • shell pattern 221