The bon bon spoons in this exhibit are those which have figurals or are representative of a silver style, yet they would not correctly be called a souvenir spoon. The spoons on this page measure between 4.5 and 7 inches in length.
This very nice hand made spoon features an applied eagle fighting with an applied snake. The image of an eagle fighting a snake is very ancient and as far as we know was first used in the third millennium BC in ancient Babylonia. The image has since been found in many cultures and continues to the present day. At the current time it is the emblem of Mexico and of course the eagle is also the national symbol of the USA. The eagle rules the sky and the cosmos and is considered to impart great strength and courage. The serpent crawls on its belly and represents the earth. The image of these two creatures fighting each other thus represents the eternal struggle between the soul and the body.
A very nice hand made spoon from China (?). Unmarked
A very pretty bon bon spoon in the Aesthetic style (Japanese Style) with delicate engraving and a stylized insect at the finial (marked China sterling)
A stylized snake handle on a gold washed bowl (no marks)
An Art Nuevo male face with a very large bowl (prob. French marked 930 -- with English London import marks)
A very finely made filigree spoon. The filigree work on this spoon is done with very fine wires and is of exceptional quality. (no marks--probably Mexico) The picture just does not do it justice.
Beautiful engraving work on the handle and in the bowl defines this very nice piece. The shape of the bowl indicates that it is probably late 1880's or very early 1890's (Towle)
An Art Nuevo style bon bon spoon from Norway (830 silver). This spoon is mostly machine produced.
This spoon looks like it is Dutch made. Don't be fooled by it. In the late 1920's, there was an American revival of the Dutch style. This spoon was made by Whiting in that revival style.
A cute scalloped shaped bowl with an enamel flower finial. Note the small engraved piece of silver just above the bowl. All hand made and gilted sterling
An extraordinarily beautiful bon bon spoon with detailed enameling on a vermeil surface. no marks--probably made in a Scandinavian country or Russia (minor enamel loss on front)
A 6.4" bon bon spoon with a 3-D cast finial of a donkey. The hand repoussed bowl shows a woman holding a child by the hand. I am not sure if it were made for a particular event or if there is further significance.