I really dislike the tourist tat Welsh lovespoons that most people know but I was recently sent photos of a gorgeous original Welsh lovespoon which is a simple beautiful understated form with just the right amount of decoration. I have not done a copy yet, but I will. Would it be right to make a spoon like this and offer it for sale? to me then the whole point of lovespoons was that they were made as love tokens by someone for someone. Anyway here are the pics hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
This particular spoon belonged to the grandmother of the lady that sent me the pictures. She was born in the 1890’s, lived in Pontrober and later Llanfair Caereinion.
I did a previous post on Welsh lovespoons and cawl spoons here
Lovely form and detailed work. What kind of timber is it?
Beautiful spoon, thanks for posting!
Wow, that is beautiful! Lovely arc… Personally, I never like the idea of copying another design without permission, especially for sale, but a new design inspired by this could be equally lovely.I've seen a squared off bowl like that only a couple times, but I find it very interesting and elegant. Do you know about when this one was made? Thanks for sharing!
A wonderfully well-crafted bowl. I suspect that the bowl originally came to a fairly acute point and was broken at some time. The end of the bowl was then taken off to neaten things up. I also like the little flip at the end of the handle. Simplicity and beauty can often go hand in hand.
Rob, the owner thought it walnut I would not know, many Welsh love spoons of this colour are sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus).Laura square end spoons work well and are common in Sweden but do not work well from straight grained wood, you need a good crooked branch to make a good one.Mack I think it started square, there is a remarkably similar one in Levi "Treen for the Table" same bowl shape, similar vintage, just one heart and similar chipcarving. This one is nicer though.
I'm with Bob regarding the square end of the bowl. The big crack running through the bowl would also offer good proof that this spoon fell from a wall onto a hard floor and the chipped bowl was repaired by being squared off. There are loads of spoons with exactly the same damage and repair in the various museums around Wales. That's what happens when you dangle delicate wood above a stone floor!!
That is pretty cool. I wonder how old exactly this spoon is. I also wonder if it was a using spoon or just s shelf spoon.Dave