Funeral spoon

Unknown

ca. 1688 · Silver · The American Wing

Funeral spoons were presented to family members or close friends upon the burial of loved ones. The inscription on the front of this spoon’s handle refers to Maria Van Rensselaer, who died in 1688 or 1689. Maria had married Jeremias Van Rensselaer in 1662 but was herself a Van Cortlandt. The initials “M G” are those of Maria’s great-granddaughter, Magdelena Douw, who married Harme Gansevoort in 1740. This utensil, therefore, represents the intertwining of several prominent New York families of Dutch descent.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1688

Medium

Silver

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Gift of Estate of Mrs. Abraham Lansing, 1929