Condiment spoons have been produced since the late 17th Century and were multi-purpose in use. The earliest types were in the Trefid Pattern with oval bowls. Distinctive salt spoons were produced from the mid-18th Century and can be classified into two main types; ladles and shovels. Ladles are distinguished by their deep round or oval bowls (see above photo), whereas shovels have flat oblong bowls with sides either wholly or partly along two edges. The earliest form was the shovel, which was produced throughout the 18thCentury. Salt ladles were first made during the rococo period, were cast, and either highly decorative or in the whiplash form popular during the 1750’s. Throughout the 19thCentury they generally have a similar evolution to the mustard spoon, conforming to canteens and becoming smaller in the 20thCentury.

Shovel Teaspoon - Etsy UK Shovel Teaspoon - Etsy UK

Some shovels even have special features, such as a serrated edge to help with cutting through tough soil or a long handle to help with reaching into deep holes. They have deep sided trough-shaped bowls and should be made of sturdy construction. Interesting variants have a sliding mechanism to help push the cheese on to a plate. Beware ofForgeries: Many 19th century table spoons have been converted to cheese scoops by re-working the bowls, however most are somewhat flimsy and easy to identify. MOST COLLECTABLE: Novelty, unusual shapes/engraving, Scottish Provincial & Irish, rare marks, sought after makers. Spoons can also be used for scooping and moving snow, but are not as effective as a shovel for removing large amounts of snow.However, upon closer inspection, there are some similarities between the two tools that are worth exploring. A shovel is usually used for outdoor tasks like digging in soil, while a spoon is used for indoor tasks like eating or cooking. A collection of the standard patterns is fairly simple to build, therefore rare patterns, rare hallmarks and early dates are the most sought after. This is the usual form to build a collection of a spoon from each year of the 18thCentury, with the date letters of London made spoons (early teaspoons tend to have no date letter). It is a versatile tool that can also be used for removing snow, spreading mulch, or even for scooping up pet food.

Shovel - Etsy UK Silver Plated Shovel - Etsy UK

Four top-marked stamps; lion passant, maker, date letter and duty mark (i.e. still no leopards head crowned). Spoons can also be used to scoop and move soil, but are usually not as effective as a shovel for this task. This type of silver spoon can be found in many forms; teaspoon, dessert spoon, table spoon, sugar sifter spoon etc., and would generally be used for serving soft fruits. The bowls are elaborately embossed with fruits, the stems are often engraved and are either wholly or partly gilded to protect the silver from the corrosive effects of fruit acids. Most examples found in this category have been later embellished e.g. a plain Georgian spoon decorated by a Victorian hand. Any examples found hallmarked prior to 1840 should be viewed with suspicion. There are two fields of thought regarding these spoons. Firstly, that an elegant spoon has been vandalised and secondly that an attractive single spoon contains the tastes and craftsmanship of two distinct eras. These spoons are not fakes and are legitimate on the open market, although I would suggest that they should be sold as "with later decoration". While the handles of a shovel and a spoon are typically constructed from different materials, they are both designed to provide a comfortable grip and make it easier to use the tool.Overall, while both shovels and spoons are used for digging and scooping, they are used for different purposes and in different environments. Butter spades have a triangular or heart shaped blade usually connected to a round, turned ivory or wooden handle, although completely silver examples are found. They are very collectable and generally date from the mid-late 18thCentury. Examples from late Victorian and Edwardian times are found, often attractively engraved with mother of pearl handles. Shovels come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from the small hand shovels used in gardening to the large shovels used in construction.

Sugar Shovel Spoon - Etsy UK Sugar Shovel Spoon - Etsy UK

Shovels are usually made from metal, such as steel or aluminum, although some are made from plastic or wood. It is most commonly used for digging, turning soil, and scooping up dirt, gravel, or other materials. Shovels come in a variety of sizes and shapes, while spoons are usually round with a bowl-shaped cavity and a handle. Butter spades tend to be tea to dessert spoon sized, but the earlier butter knives increased in length to table spoon sized, before being reduced by the end of the 19thCentury to teaspoon size. Shovels are also used for gardening and landscaping projects, such as digging holes for planting trees, flowers, shrubs, and vegetables.

Stilton or Cheese Scoop

sugar nips are usually only part marked on both finger rings with the lion passant and maker's mark. They can however be accurately dated by their form. Bowl form developed from plain with rattail through plain to shell-shaped. Arms and finger grips developed from plain to ornate. Caddy spoons are used for scooping a measure of tea from caddy to pot. They have been made from the 1750’s and exist both in standard pattern form and as decorative or novelty pieces. Beware offorgeries.