Spoon, wood. Love spoon. Long openwork handle, incised design at top and bottom of handle, shallow bowl.Length 13 in.Width 5 in.
It is extremely questionable as to whether this spoon has any links whatsoever to courtship or marriage as there is nothing to suggest any association between the artefact and romantic relationships. There is no similarity between the spoon and those in the Welsh lovespoon tradition, while the linear patterns interspersed with arrowhead-like carvings might well be African in origin, on account of their having comparable examples of similar designs on artefacts native to the African continent. The round bowl is not typical of Welsh lovespoons; the tradition being, almost without exception, more of an oval shape with pointed end. The bowl has not been finished for use, indicating that the spoon was not used for eating. A suitable description might read thus: A decorative spoon, possibly African in origin, used for display or ceremonial purposes.
