Vigo County Historical Society

Spoons serve as more than eating utensils

The spoon is an old implement. It is mentioned in the Bible. The Greeks and Romans made spoons of silver or bronze. Spoons also have been made of bone, ivory, horn, pewter and wood.

Before 1800 most spoons were made from two pieces of silver. After 1800 most spoons were made from one piece of silver. The bowl of a 19th century spoon was shaped as those made today.

The most famous of all spoon design is the Apostle spoon. The first ones were made from silver or pewter in the 15th and 16th centuries. The figure of an Apostle was at the tip of each spoon handle and identified from the symbol he had.

The set consisted of 13 spoons, the twelve Apostles and Jesus. Of the early spoons only five sets are known to exist. Reproductions are still being made.

Souvenir spoons were made to commemorate special places, events or persons. Researchers say their height of popularity was in the late 1800s.

The spoons were made in teaspoon or demitasse sizes.

Nineteenth century souvenir spoons were almost always sterling silver. Both the handle and bowl were decorated with whatever symbol commemorated the person, historical site or specific place. Many young women of the 1890s collected these spoons from different cities or towns in their travels.

From 1890 until the 1920s traveling salesmen purchased souvenir spoons and took them throughout their sales territories as mementos of their travels. Silver manufacturers produced a variety of designs for them.

In the late 1800s and early1900s sterling silver spoons were given to mark occasions such as graduations, birthdays, and other personal events.

The spoons pictured are from the museum collection. Included are a decorative serving spoon, a grapefruit spoon and a demitasse spoon.