Roman spoons often form part of lavish sets of silver tableware. Individual examples are also common but are usually of bone, bronze, glass, or wood. This spoon is highly unusual, since the bowl was carved out of a single piece of rock crystal. One principal type of Roman spoon, the cochlear, with a smaller circular bowl and long handle, was used primarily for eating snails, shellfish, and eggs. The present example probably would not have been used for such purposes because of its size, shape, and materials. It is best seen as a luxury item, meant to accompany the toilet box of a wealthy Roman matron.

The very fine bone pyxis was also possibly part of a cosmetic or trinket set. Although similar bone and wood containers are known, especially from Egypt, it is difficult to find a parallel of the same high quality. The two objects come from the same collection, and it is tempting to surmise that they were found together.