Tablespoon
On May 15, 1750, Martha Dandridge married Daniel Parke Custis, marking her ascension into the highest echelon of Virginia society. As befitting her new station, she and her husband outfitted their home with the finest wares from England. This silver tablespoon, engraved with the early and distinctive Custis crest of a wingless bird of prey with feathered ears (often thought to be an eagle) was once part of an elegant dining service. Following the untimely death of her first husband in 1757 and her second marriage to George Washington, the spoon and Mrs. Washington made their way to Mount Vernon.
See also tea spoon, W-2531.
Published ReferencesJames C. Rees, Treasures from Mount Vernon: George Washington Revealed (Mount Vernon, VA: Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, 1999), 43.