Tarnish

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A sterling silver memorial spoon (a) in a wooden case (b) designed by Sheila Bridges and fabricated by Susan Kay Walker, with CAD Design by Woody Tony, commissioned by the Museum of the City of New York for the 2017 exhibition "New York Silver, Then and Now." The forged silver spoon is laser engraved. On the back of the spoon's bowl is the iconic 1787 image of an enslaved figure kneeling with his chained and shackled arms raised as if in prayer and the words "Am I not a man and a brother?" Along the handle is a 1788 plan of a slave ship. It is further engraved with the mark [MCNY] on the back near the tip and the designer's initials [SB] on the back at center. The wooden case has brass hinges and clasp and is lined in a cream colored fabric.

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