THE CHARLESTON SILVER LADY

This unusual silver implement was made circa 1900. This particular implement was made in England, but examples can be found made from nearly every civilized culture of the 18th century.

Called a “Cheese Scoop,” these pieces were used for serving soft cheese by scooping or by shaving a serving of harder cheese. They were made with both long and short handles, sometimes of stag horn, ivory, porcelain, bone or wood.

Used primarily as part of a welcoming assortment of rare cheeses and highly prized fruits, these pieces were displayed for the delight of guests and host alike.

Foods such as exotic cheese were rare, expensive and out of reach for most people to consume on a daily basis; the same was true with fruit. It is easy to see how a special way of serving these delights would involve a notable object made especially for it.

At the turn of the century, silver companies began including a cheese scoop in the patterns they offered to brides of the day. You can find exotic ones listed, such as “hooded cheese scoop,” in which the silver nearly wraps around and makes a true “corer” for cheese, just like the ones you see in France today used for testing the ripeness of cheese.

This item works as well today as when it was originally made. With the popularity of cheese and specialty foods, an item such as this would be an ideal companion when sharing special times with family and friends.