Tiniest spoon I have ever seen

[thrillathahunt]

TC and me detected an old Victorian era house today and I found this very tiny sterling silver spoon. Albert thinks it's an old medicine spoon. It's only 2" long, and marked STERLING with a lion hallmark on the back. Any ideas?

Isn't it cute?

 

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[lafatlife]

That is a cool spoon. I have never seen on the small unless it was with a doll set and they are usually plastic.

Silver is silver!!

 

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[Unicorn]

I do have a spoon just like that, although not in silver. It sit's just right in the little mustard holder in a condiment set. That's really how I could identify it.


U.

 

[dg39]

Nice salt spoon. I have had and sold close to a 100 of them.
Now find a nice glass salt bowl to put it with.
www.genius-antiques.com
Need to get some hits on my new site...


DG

 

[texan connection]

OK its a leprechauns salt spoon...... I concede to the experts.
Im going back to the yard with the big coil and hit it one last time,,

Leprechauns you say.... hmmmmm

 

[diggummup]

I do have a spoon just like that, although not in silver. It sit's just right in the little mustard holder in a condiment set. That's really how I could identify it.


U.

The mustard spoon is often confused with the salt spoon. The bowl of the mustard spoon is always elongated to form a scoop, whereas the bowl of a salt spoon is round and deep and conveys the salt like a ladle.

 

[Unicorn]

Okay.. and thanks for that information diggummup....You learn something new everyday....



U.

 

[CRUSADER]

I do have a spoon just like that, although not in silver. It sit's just right in the little mustard holder in a condiment set. That's really how I could identify it.


U.

The mustard spoon is often confused with the salt spoon. The bowl of the mustard spoon is always elongated to form a scoop, whereas the bowl of a salt spoon is round and deep and conveys the salt like a ladle.

interesting, I was tossing up between mustard & salt spoon, never spotted the difference before. Is this true of all of them?

 

[thrillathahunt]

CRU, all of the internet searches that I've done shows the salt spoon at a bit over 2 inches and with a
round bowl, just like this one.

They must not have used salt back then like we do today.

 

[colorado14ers]

my grandmother has one just like that and here was made at an art school but just for decoration. i dont think it really has a real purpose other than to look cute but maybe it is made for little people with little hands

 

[thrillathahunt]

my grandmother has one just like that and here was made at an art school but just for decoration. i dont think it really has a real purpose other than to look cute but maybe it is made for little people with little hands

People with little hands indeed! Can you picture a big bruising guy, say 6'3 @240 lbs., with hands the size of a dinner plate trying to use this spoon to put salt on his eggs?

 

[diggummup]

I do have a spoon just like that, although not in silver. It sit's just right in the little mustard holder in a condiment set. That's really how I could identify it.


U.

The mustard spoon is often confused with the salt spoon. The bowl of the mustard spoon is always elongated to form a scoop, whereas the bowl of a salt spoon is round and deep and conveys the salt like a ladle.

interesting, I was tossing up between mustard & salt spoon, never spotted the difference before. Is this true of all of them?

There is always an exception to the rule and I have seen salts where the bowl was shaped liked a shovel head and i've seen them scallop shaped like a shell but i've never really seen a mustard round bowl.

my grandmother has one just like that and here was made at an art school but just for decoration. i dont think it really has a real purpose other than to look cute but maybe it is made for little people with little hands

People with little hands indeed! Can you picture a big bruising guy, say 6'3 @240 lbs., with hands the size of a dinner plate trying to use this spoon to put salt on his eggs?

Back in the day salt held a place of high esteem at the table so to speak. Here's a little info-

Salt absorbs moisture from its surroundings, and had a tendency to clump together into one large lump. The head of the household usually presided over the distribution of salt at the dining table. This lump of salt was placed into a small dish, called by various names - open salt, salt cellar, Table salt. Today we also refer to these as Master salts. It was then broken up with a knife handle or other utensil and placed into smaller, individual salt cellars, often matching the larger one in design. Since it was such a precious seasoning, only small portions were given to each person at the table. The food was either dipped into the small individual salt cellars or was scooped out with the small salt spoons and sprinkled over the food.

In the early 1930s, a process was developed which literally coats each grain of salt and keeps it from sticking together. Due to these changes in the processing of salt for consumer use, the open salt cellar and its accompanying salt spoon have become largely obsolete, having been replaced by the everyday salt shakers. They are, however, a highly collectable item and are still used today as a bit of nostalgia on many dining tables.

Salt was a highly prized commodity at one time. Did you know that Greek slave traders often bartered salt for slaves, giving rise to the expression that someone was "not worth his salt" and Roman soldiers were paid partly in salt, their salarium, is today’s “salary.”