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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>What do love spoons mean?<\/h2>\n
These days, antique and new spoons are often given as presents at weddings and christenings, but that\u2019s a fairly recent tradition. Originally, they were like love letters from tongue-tied young men, the acceptance of which meant that courting could begin.<\/p>\n
\u2018They were mostly carved from sycamore by men and given to their desired sweethearts as gifts to woo them,\u2019 explains Tim. \u2018You often find spoons with women\u2019s names carved in them.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n In modern times, when new mass-produced \u2018love spoon\u2019 souvenirs are sold online and in gift shops for just a few pounds, all sorts of specific meanings have become attributed to the carved symbols on love spoons. \u2018A heart motif obviously means love,\u2019 says Tim.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> \u2018There are often anchors carved into spoons, which some people think means \u2018anchored to you\u2019, but it was actually the symbol of Christ \u2013 a cross.\u2019 Locks and keys can be seen to represent setting up home or giving a lover the keys to one\u2019s heart. Celtic knots signify eternal love, twisted stems mean togetherness. Other popular symbols include chalices, pinwheels and bells.<\/p>\n Tim thinks too much emphasis is sometimes put on interpreting the meaning of love spoon symbols. \u2018I have a beautiful spoon in stock at the moment with four carved balls in a cage \u2013 it\u2019s a very difficult thing to achieve as they\u2019re not placed in, they\u2019re all carved from the same single piece of wood.<\/p>\n Some people say the number of balls indicates how many children the carver hoped to have, but I\u2019ve seen spoons with 20 balls inside them! I don\u2019t like to get in the way of a good story, but I think we often look at symbols in folk art through 21st-century eyes.\u2019<\/p>\n The romantic idea of a young man sitting by the fire in the evening whittling away to express his love is beguiling, but Tim doesn\u2019t think all spoons were made this way.<\/p>\n \u2018Although I\u2019m sure that sometimes happened, I have seen some spoons that were definitely made by the same hand. I would imagine that a canny craftsman might say: \u201cLook, I\u2019ll make you a spoon, Dai.\u201d But that gets in the way of the narrative a little bit!\u2019<\/p>\n The quality of love spoons varies dramatically. Some are intricate, demonstrating immense skill. \u2018I saw one that featured tiny wheels and cogs,\u2019 remembers Tim. \u2018It was so delicate and weighed nothing in my hand. It\u2019s incredible to think that each of these spoons was carved from a single piece of sycamore \u2013 they\u2019re not assembled.\u2019 Others are much less refined, but \u2018primitive\u2019 ones still fetch eye-watering amounts.<\/p>\n Love spoons have been collected for a long time. Tim has a photo of a Victorian parlour with a whole wall covered in love spoons. \u2018They\u2019ve certainly been collected since the 19th century,\u2019 he says. \u2018They tend not to come on to the market often so that\u2019s why they command such high prices.\u2019<\/p>\n Tim has a beautiful one in stock dated 1838 for \u00a32,450, but rarer spoons in good condition can fetch \u00a37,000 or \u00a38,000. \u2018There are serious collectors out there, who have been gathering them for 20 years,\u2019 reveals Tim. \u2018It\u2019s mind boggling when you see 60 love spoons together.\u2019 Tim has four or five of his own at home. \u2018We like the more humble ones.\u2019<\/p>\n As with all valuable antiques, it\u2019s important to buy from a reputable dealer. \u2018There are fakes out there,\u2019 warns Tim. \u2018You have to be on your toes. I turn down more than I buy. Even the ones that were made in the 1920s or 1930s have acquired an aged patina now, so you have to use all your instincts and knowledge to spot the older ones.\u2019<\/p>\n Love spoons are often slightly marked. \u2018They\u2019re usually hung on a wall beside the fire on a bit of ribbon and you often get damage where the spoon has fallen down and there\u2019s a little nibble in the bowl where it hit the floor.\u2019<\/p>\n Slight blemishes only add to their charm. Spoons are admired not only for their workmanship, but also their sentimental value. They were a labour of love, after all.<\/p>\n Love Spoons by Elin Meek \u2013 Buy it now<\/a><\/p>\n Fine Art of Carving Lovespoons by David L. Western \u2013 Buy it now<\/a><\/p>\n Welsh Love Spoons by Annie Bullen \u2013 Buy it now<\/a><\/p>\n The Artful Wooden Spoon by Josh Vogel \u2013 Buy it now<\/a><\/p>\nYou might also enjoy:<\/h4>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>How were love spoons originally made?<\/h2>\n
How to collect love spoons<\/h2>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Books<\/h2>\n