Just as it sounds, utilitarian art, also known as functional art, is an object with a core intention for practicality while also presenting aesthetically pleasing decoration. For centuries, artisans have combined fine art with utilitarian needs that meet the demands of the buyer, whether based on their occupation, lifestyle or simply leisurely enjoyment. While some consider utilitarian art to be a “minor art” in comparison to fine art, it is just as valued and loved by collectors as the latter.
Utilitarian art is also incredibly inclusive: the category can include everything from lighting in a living room, furniture and vases to something as simple as dinner plates. Join us as we inspire you to think deeply about what can make an everyday object incredibly unique with three incredible examples of practical art.
The Art of Salt: Four Silver Salt Cellars by Paul de Lamerie
While a salt shaker is ubiquitous on kitchen and restaurant tables across the world, salt was once a rare and highly valued addition to the dinner table. Humans have used salt for thousands of years, with the earliest known salt production site dated to about 6,000 years ago.From the ancient Roman era onwards, salt dominated world trading routes and even resulted in the building of powerful cities rich in salt, such as Venice’s ascension with a salt monopoly. Some historians also attribute the European “discovery” of North America to searching for fertile salt marshlands to supply the ever-growing demand for salt.
| Set of Four Silver Salt Cellars by Paul de Lamerie. Hallmarked London, 1737. Sterling and gilded silver. M.S. Rau. |
Before mass-produced salt shakers, the carrier of salt was a major indicator of wealth and class for a household. Mark Kulansky, author of Best Salt: A World History, explains it best: “Salt was served at the table, in a simple seashell at a plebeian’s table or an ornate silver saltcellar at a patrician’s feast.” The upper classes from the fifteenth century onwards preferred precious metals for their holders, and many were designed on the exterior to showcase decorative elements that matched the aesthetic trends of the era.
Paul de Lamarie, renowned for his utmost mastery of English silversmithing, created a set of four silver salt cellars reflecting the ultimate Georgian craftsmanship in 1737. Most likely made for an important commission, each cellar sits atop lion paw feet with intricately designed and appliquéd lion heads floral garlands adorning the outside of the bowls. The interior gilt-washing of the cellars serves to protect the item from tarnishing while also adding an opulent touch of gold to an already exquisite object. With these four impeccably designed cellars, guests at the dinner table would have been struck by the display of wealth on an item with such a simple purpose.
Beyond the dining room, utilitarian art can also be seen in the everyday objects found on a desk.
Writing in Luxury
Before mass-produced pens flooded the market, quill-feathered and dip pens and ink were the pinnacle of writing instruments. Calligraphy, utilitarian itself as it is the art of beautiful handwriting, has been practiced since the most ancient of civilizations. However, due to the nature of wood and paper due to its fast rate of decay, the earliest known artifacts of calligraphy were incised on bone and dried clay, such as the Kish tablet from 3500 BCE, with pictographic cuneiform incised into limestone.
| Kish Tablet. Circa 3500 BCE. Incised limestone. Ashmolean Museum. |
In the history of Western Europe, calligraphy and learning how to write well in cursive was a key aspect of a well-to-do education. The “round hand” style of calligraphy, which was developed by writing masters John Ayres and William Banson in England in the 1660s, became highly standardized and taught in schools between the 17th and 18th centuries.
| Except from A New Copy Book of Round Hand for the Use of Schools by John Langton. Circa 1723. |
Writing before the advent of computers and the telephone was used in daily life, as communicating could only be done via letter. Penning letters was the only way to connect with and share urgent information with acquaintances before 1830, when the telegraph was invented. Even so, sending telegrams was expensive, and the messages had to be short, so letter writing still prevailed as the key method of communication. Due to its importance in one’s daily life, it is easy to imagine how artisans pinpointed the tools and accessories of writing as subjects of utilitarian art.
| Royal Silver Gilt Inkwell by Edward Barnard & Sons. Hallmarked London, 1841. Silver gilt and cut glass. M.S. Rau. |
Take, for example, the silver gilt inkwell made by the silversmith firm Edward Barnard & Sons in 1841. The double inkwell containers, made from cut glass to shimmer in the sunlight, would have been filled with ink, whereas the blooming flower in the middle would have held the quill pen. This inkwell was not just for the everyday layperson; rather, this stunning example of functional art holds a royal provenance. Sir John Kirkland was gifted this inkwell, regarded as one of his most valued treasures, by Queen Victoria of England after serving for years as her closest confidante during the Crimean War.
The firm that crafted the inkwell became the esteemed firm of the Crown in 1860 due to the superior quality and craftsmanship of their work. This is evident in the inkwell, which was made from gilt silver in an exuberant Rococo style, replete with acanthus leaves, flowers and an inscribed plaque surrounded by olive and oak branches topped with the royal crown. Although this is one of the finest examples of utilitarian art with an iconic royal lineage, it is easy to imagine how artisans from all socioeconomic levels could create beautiful, decorative pieces for something as simple as writing letters.
More Than Just a Walking Stick: Rare System Canes
Moving out of the household, utilitarian art permeates into an object that one could find every day walking down the street. System canes, a fascinating category of walking sticks, are designed with a dual purpose or hidden function that goes beyond mere support. As the most highly collected types of canes, they showcase the creativity and craftsmanship of their makers, blending functional tools with creativity and aesthetic appeal.
In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the cane began replacing the sword as the most popular accessory for gentlemen in Europe and the colonies. Funnily enough, canes were not most often used for walking support due to an injury or disability— they were a fashion statement. In military situations, canes were also used to indicate one’s rank, such as the military pacing walking stick from the English army that signifies the carrier as a regimental sergeant major.
| Military Pacing Walking Stick. 38 1/4" length. M.S. Rau. |
System canes are especially noteworthy because they are used much like a wallet or a purse today. Wealthy gentlemen and women would have owned several system canes, each fit with their own unique capabilities, for different outings and purposes. Going to a party that is serving wine but worried that a guest might try to steal your glass? The cane with a hidden silver corkscrew and discreet whistle is perfect for you!
| Black Horn Corkscrew and Whistle Cane. Hallmarked London, 1881. M.S. Rau. |
Are you wanting to paint en plein-air, but wish to conceal the secrets of your hidden artistic talent? The very on-the-nose artist cane is the answer to your desires. Made in the 19th century, the cane has three hidden compartments that conceal a color palette, canvas, brush and paint tin. The cane itself has a sturdy, polished hardstone handle and a cork-patterned shaft. Perhaps it is the pinnacle of utilitarian art for its literal purpose of creating artworks.
| Artist Cane. 19th Century. Hardstone. M.S. Rau. |
Finally, are you looking to check the time while listening to the soothing sound of singing birds? Look no further than the extraordinary singing bird cane by Jacob Frisard, one of the rarest walking sticks ever made. This cane is complete with the rarest of materials: the shaft is made from snakewood, the handle and shaft decor is made from 18K gold, and the handle is adorned with 5 carats of diamonds and a 15-carat garnet. When one twists the top bulb of the cane’s gold-chased collar, a fully functional miniature watch and a singing bird mechanism surrounded by guilloché enamel are revealed.
| Singing Bird Cane by Jacob Frisard. Circa 1800. Snakewood, gold, diamond, and garnet. M.S. Rau. |
In the early 19th century, when this cane was made, automated singing bird mechanisms were already rare due to their complex mechanisms. That is why it is all the more incredible that Frisard, a brilliant mechanical artist from Geneva, was able to engineer such a wonderful contraption within the confines of a walking stick. The movement, conserved and in exceptional working condition 220 years after its creation, is precisely why the only other known example of a singing bird cane graces the cover of the “bible” of system canes: Cane Curiosa by Catherine Dike.
| Cane Curiosa: From Gun to Gadget by Catherine Dike. Published in 1983. |
Ultimately, utilitarian art bridges the gap between functionality and artistic expression, proving that even everyday objects can enhance their owners’ lives through both their practical use and visual appeal. From the gilded salt cellars of the Georgian era to the intricately designed inkwells and multifaceted system canes, these objects serve as reminders that art is not confined to galleries or canvases—it can also be held, used and cherished in daily life. Through functional items such as the three presented here, artisans ensure that beauty remains a constant companion in both the mundane and the extraordinary.
