Spoon Collection - Anna's jam spoon

Anna's Spoon - German .800 silver

Anna’s Jam Spoon* – Unknown German maker, approx. 1886

 When Anna was betrothed to Max in 1887, he presented to her a 12-piece, .800 silver dinner service as betrothal/wedding gift. Max had each piece monogrammed with her new married name initials of A + L. The silver set held pride-of-place in her dining room and was lovingly polished and set out for use every holiday and special occasion. Anna was a great cook and she would spend days in the kitchen stirring jams and jellies in a big iron pot. One spoon from the set was used as her ‘special’ stirring spoon. All through the war years Anna would glean berries from the hedgerows and strawberries from her garden plot to make her jam. If she was lucky, she would have a little bit of ration sugar, if not, she would barter ‘jam on a promise’ with the Schmidt’s for some of the honey from their hives. Anna’s renown as a jam maker meant she seldom had trouble making a trade. After the war, the silver travelled with her granddaughter to the USA, and that spoon was put into many more years of jam service. One day, this spoon with five of it's siblings, left for Australia with Anna’s great-granddaughter – who doesn’t make jam but will stir the occasional custard with this special spoon. Worn down on the edge of the bowl to a point, bent and slightly battered, this treasured spoon has given the women in my family over 130 years of faithful service. And someday the spoon will be handed down to Anna’s Great, great, granddaughter.

*Note: I have drawn this spoon previously (with raspberries) but it is worth drawing again!

Spoon Collection - Georgian

Fiddle back Georgian Spoon

Found in the op-shop cutlery box!  I looked at photos of old coins of the period and included these in the work - tuppence and sixpence.

Fiddle Back Georgian Spoon – John Blake Silversmith (1827)

Nearly 200 years ago, from the finest silver I was made and out of London I sailed. On a colony ship, in the King’s service, we came to tame this land. Round the Horn we laboured and blown by the roaring 40’s we finally landed at a dismal village by swamp named Melbourne. On the Captains table and Officer’s mess my silver had reflected in the candlelight. I came ashore and I passed into use on the sideboards of the elite of the colony. Oh! the sights I have seen and the people I met who admired my glow and used me well. But I was parted from my canteen mates, stolen and pawned, abused and neglected.  Finally, I languished, bashed, battered and dented in the reject jar at the Op Shop where you rescued me. A polish can restore my gleam, but not my youth. Would that I could speak and tell you a tale or two!

Spoon Collection - Queen Bess

More spoon drawings!

If you read my earlier posts, you know I have a collection of spoons I love to draw. I am a bit at a loss between 'big' projects, so am keeping busy by doing some little works. It would be nice to do a large collection of these of maybe 14 or 15 individual drawings.
 Each drawing is done in graphite and graphitint washes on 300 gsm Lana Bristol board, A4 size. All the spoons have a 'story' to go with them. 

Here is the first, titled 'Queen Bess'

Plan drawing with actual 'Queen Bess' teaspoon

WIP

Finished work

The Story of  the Queen Bess teaspoon:

Queen Bess EPNS teaspoon - Oneida USA 1946

At last the times were good and the New Deal had slowly turned the country around. Prosperity and growth grew out of the dark days.  Aunt had waited through all the long years of the war for her niece to return. And now Niece was soon to be married! Aunt saved every Betty Crocker coupon she could, collected together and sent them off. An offer too good to refuse, ‘Tudor’ plate silverware at a bargain price. How surprized and delighted was Niece to receive the velvet lined rosewood box filled with the 48 piece setting of ‘Queen Bess’ as a wedding gift! And the sweet little ‘Forget-me-not’ flowers would remind Niece of Aunt every time she used the silver.