Once upon a long time ago, men courted woman with the object of matrimony and the creation of a family. The idea of romantic love was just in its infancy, and the gentle custom of giving your potential lover a spoon designed to serve sweet candy was an adorable custom. These charming and dainty little bon bon spoons evoke an image when relationships between the sexes were not based purely upon physical attraction.
This type of spoon was made in Holland from the 1870's thru approximately 1900. They show couples engaged in gentle courting techniques, music playing, love birds etc.
The twin intertwined porpoises (dolphins) are to serve as a symbol of everlasting love.
A young man's visage above a floral display is the handle. This very deep bowl has pictures of cutout love birds (sorry the picture is lacking, but the scanner has trouble with this deep bowl)
The finial on this spoon is a young maiden examining a large piece of cloth ( 0ne breast is exposed; this is a common theme in Victorian art.). The two dolphins represent eternal love. In the round bowl, the man is playing a flute while his lady watches. Various other symbols in the background.
A heraldic lion serves as the finial on this spoon. In the bowl a man is playing a bagpipe type instrument while two children watch. Village scene in the background. Probably a reference to serenading type behavior.
A large sailboat above a flower pot serves as the handle on this spoon. In the very deep cutout bowl are two tiny lovebirds. (top center) You will have to look closely to see them. The rest of the decoration is flowers and vines.
A small dwelling place with smoke coming out of the chimney and an animal in the foyer tops twin dolphins to serve as the handle. The scalloped bowl depicts a man with a cane and carrying a bucket, while the woman holds two ducks.
A small sailboat resting on twin dolphins serves as the handle. The oblong scalloped bowl (see below) is very light but it shows a woman in a swing being pushed by a young man with extensive vine type decorations. The workmanship is very light and just does not photograph well.
Although the picture is quite poor--this is a charming little piece
This is a most unusual spoon. I suspect that it is a marriage spoon and the two people facing each other are probably royalty. The only silver mark is a old Dutch purity mark. The styling is Rococo and this piece probably dates to the early 1800's. The top work is all hand cutouts. The bowl is about 3.5" in diameter. It is a possibility that this spoon dates to the early 1890's and this was a souvenir of a Dutch Royal marriage, but I haven't done the research.
A large oval shaped love spoon with two birds in the bowl (see below). Within the bowl are many swirls and a seashell in the rococo style, but I suspect that this spoon is 1870-90. The circular section of the finial is a bearded man with something on his shoulder (I think it might be a sword). Perhaps this was an arranged marriage for a soldier. There are no silver marks but it is most likely 800 silver. Measures 5.6" with a 3.5" bowl.
This is a larger Dutch bon bon love spoon. The finial is an actual silver coin of Queen Victoria (1890). Within the bowl are a pair of love birds (only one shown). Notice the similarity between this piece and the one above. They were obviously made by the same silversmith, but because they are hand done, there are differences
This is a larger version of this type of spoon measuring 6.5" long with a bowl (below) that is almost 3.5" wide. The finial is cast and shows a man and woman shaking hands. The back of the finial has two love birds cast in it. The finial and stem are not nearly the same quality as the bowl (see description below). The mark is a French Minerva marking.
The deep bowl on this spoon is all hand worked with quality chasing and engraving. It also shows two love birds amidst much foilage and has a shell near the top.
A lovely little pierced bon bon spoon from Amsterdam with a pair of winged angels hovering at the overloaded fruit bowl
