Antique silver-plated soup ladle

Victorian silver-plated soup ladle with pretty hand-engraved decoration and the addition of a family crest of a merlion; half lion, half fish.

Although the use of ladles in Europe can be traced back to the Roman era, and the production of silver flatware made in England from as early as the 13th century, silver ladles were not widespread until the mid-18th century, following the rise in popularity of the silver soup tureen. Silver ladles were quickly produced in many shapes and sizes, and the number of ladle types seems to have grown with the emergence of silver sauce ladles, stew ladles, slotted ladles and punch ladles, to name just a few.

Martin, Hall & Co was one of the best known British silver and silver plate manufacturers. participating in many international exhibitions including the Crystal Palace Great Exhibition in 1851.