In 1762, George Washington ordered from London a complete set of new china and flatware, including fourteen silver table spoons to compliment the ten he already owned. His purchase reflected not only his own passion for orderly appearances, but his desire to adopt the genteel dining practices of the English and colonial elite. Coordinated table settings supported the elaborate presentation of dinner and dessert courses that served to delight and impress guests. Each spoon was set on the table with its bowl downward in order to display Washington's engraved crest.