* The
use of a spoon-like utensils goes back to pre-history, the earliest
spoons probably simple shells. The earliest found silver
British spoon dates to the Anglo-Saxon period (449-1060) and resides
in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Survival of these early
folding spoons is somewhat rare. And there don't seem to be
too many 18th and early 19th century versions around either.
The V&A Museum in London has 5 on
display.
The Metropolitan Museum in NYC
owns 14.
I recently bid by phone on a late
17th century Continental folding spoon, with a Mary & Jesus finial,
but "later bowl decoration".
The selling price was $8835.39 -
not to me I might add.
Consider :
An early spoon is probably the
most personal item you can own. It has seen an entire lifetime
-
both inside and out.
Although I do not YET sell either
plastic sporks or folding sporks, the two silver folding spoons are
available for sale. The prices are quite reasonable on each - both
in the 3-figure range.
(The silver related images and
text above are linked
to larger images and full details).
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