Lot 4
4
A Welsh sycamore love spoon token
This lot is offered without reserve. No VAT will … Read more Love Tokens The custom of carving love spoons as tokens of affection to be given and received by sweet hearts is thought to represent an early type of engagement or serious courtship, generally between rustic "woers" and those absent for long periods, such as sailors. The tradition is not just confined to Wales, but also found in England and Europe. One of the earliest examples, at St. Fagan's, National History Museum, Cardiff, is dated 1667. The majority of the two-hundred spoons in the collection date from the 18th to the late 19th century. Love spoons vary in complexity, form and timbers, although apple wood was commonly used because of its association with Adam and Eve. Carved by the amateur and professional the spoons tend not to adhere to any specific patterns, but many convey common symbolic traits. The heart obviously denotes love, the wheel represents hard work, the double bowls make reference to a double union and the carved spheres within cages represent the number of children desired. Christie's would like to thank Mared McAleavey, Senior Curator, St. Fagans, National History Museum, Cardiff, for her help with research.
A Welsh sycamore love spoon token

POSSIBLY 19TH CENTURY

Details
A Welsh sycamore love spoon token
Possibly 19th century
The cage handle enclosing five spheres below the integrally carved chain link terminal supported by a gimbal
15in. (38cm.) long, overall
Provenance
Levi Collection number 439.
Literature
Jonathan Levi, Treen for the Table, Antique Collectors' Club, Woodbridge 1998. Page 126, fig.
Special notice
This lot is offered without reserve. No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis. This lot is subject to storage and collection charges. **For Furniture and Decorative Objects, storage charges commence 7 days from sale. Please contact department for further details.**

If you wish to view the condition report of this lot, please sign in to your account.

Sign in
View condition report

Lot Essay

Levi describes this spoon in his book ...''of remarkable finesse and craftsmanship is made from a sigle piece of wood - the chains and ball included. The design is comparable to that seen in Pinto plate 161 D&C, a Sotheby's auction of 1984, an anonymous sale at Philips (10.9.93, lot 486) and National Museum of Wales examples numbers 45, 46 and 47.''

More from Treen for the Table

View All
View All