Silver soup ladles were first made in the second quarter of the eighteenth century with the earliest ones known dating from the 1730s.
The great majority of this date and indeed right up to the 1760s tend to have a bowl formed as a shell. They are normally around 31 to 34cms In length (12-13.5 inches) and before the 1760s are made generally in Hanoverian pattern, Onslow pattern, or more rarely have representations of eagles heads at the end or rococo chasing along the stems (particularly in Ireland).
By the 1760s the old English pattern ladle and many other early patterns such as beaded, and thread pattern (mid 1770s) become common place with the bowls tending to be of a circular shape. In the 1790s the oval bowl starts to appear and by the early 1800s is certainly the most popular bowl shape although round bowl examples are still found.
In the early nineteenth century ladles can now be found in a huge variety of styles with fiddle pattern and variations of kings pattern being introduced. By the mid nineteenth century the varieties of patterns produced are enormous.
Soup ladles are very useful today for serving casseroles and stews or punch at a party and here at William Walter Antiques we always have a fine selection for sale with just a small selection of our stock represented on our website.
Please enquire if there is a specific pattern that you require.
