An 18th century silver mote spoon

marks indecipherable, oval pierced bowl and tapering handle with pointed finial, 15cm overall length, 0.3ozt

The word ‘mote’ refers to a small particle - in this case, particles of tea leaf. Originally called a 'tea strainer spoon', mote spoons or mote skimmers were introduced in the late 17th century. The London Gazette described them at the time as ‘long or strainer spoons with narrow pointy ends’

Traditionally, tea was made by adding loose tea leaves to a teapot of hot water. When the brewed tea was poured from the pot, stray ‘motes’ (leaves) often escaped, causing the tea to continue brewing in the cup. The slots in the mote spoon would allow the tea leaves to be removed with a simple scoop.

The ‘narrow pointy end’ was used to unblock the spout of the teapot, which would regularly become blocked with tea leaves.

Those households who were unable to afford a silver mote spoon as well as a tea caddy spoon could also use it to scoop tea out of the caddy, allowing the powdered remnants of the tea leaves to fall back through the slots.

Mote spoons, though very decorative, were not particularly popular at the time, and they only remained in use until the end of the 18th century, when the larger tea strainer was introduced.