Pair of sherbet spoons. Turkey, XVIII-XIX centuries

Pair of sherbet spoons. Turkey, XVIII-XIX centuries
Bone, brass and coral.
Measurements: 25 cm. length.

These spoons, conceived for the refined consumption of sorbet (a drink deeply rooted in the Ottoman sphere and associated with ceremonies of hospitality and courtly sociability), stand out for the singularity of the materials they are made of. Their hybrid character, both utilitarian and ornamental, places them at the crossroads between everyday objects and sumptuary works of art.

The pieces combine bone, brass and coral, displaying a particular virtuosity in the combination of textures: the porous surface of the bone is enriched by the precision of the chiseled metal and the warm glow of the coral.

They are tangible testimony to the Ottoman taste for sensory exaltation: the union of heterogeneous materials responds to an aesthetic that values both the visual effect and the symbolic charge of each element.