Mixed Souvenir Spoons Silver Plated Chrome Plated & Brass Enamel Crests

A mixed collection of souvenir and commemorative teaspoons.
Mostly silver plated with occasional chrome plated and brass examples.
Many have coloured enamel civic and heraldic crest terminals.
Subjects include town arms, tourist attractions, animals and transport.
Handles range from plain forms to scrollwork, pierced and twisted designs.

Condition

The metal surfaces show areas of tarnish and variable discolouration, particularly to a number of the silver-plated spoons. The silver-plated examples may be polished if preferred.

Description

A mixed collection of souvenir and commemorative teaspoons, predominantly silver plated, together with occasional chrome-plated and brass examples. The spoons are individually designed rather than forming a matched set and represent a range of towns, cities, attractions and heraldic subjects.

Most have oval or elongated oval bowls joined to narrow stems. The handles vary from relatively plain straight forms to examples decorated with raised scrollwork, foliate ornament, twisted stems, openwork and moulded borders. One brass-coloured example has a twisted stem terminating in a stylised openwork figure, while another silver-coloured spoon has a broad pierced handle formed with scrolling foliage.

Many of the terminals are formed as coloured enamel shields or civic badges. The enamel decoration includes combinations of blue, red, white, yellow, green and black, with heraldic motifs including castles, ships, crosses, quartered shields, animals and crowns.

Readable place names and inscriptions include “CARDIFF”, “CHEDDAR”, “CAMBRIDGE”, “CROYDON”, “OXFORD”, “BATH” and “YORK”. One circular enamelled terminal is marked “STEAMTOWN”, “4472” and “CARNFORTH” around a representation of a steam locomotive. A cow-shaped terminal bears “JERSEY”, while another circular enamelled example reads “WELLINGTON” and “SILK FARM”.

Other subjects include a cow, sailing ship, architectural and heraldic motifs, and figural forms. One spoon associated with SeaWorld has a ship-form terminal, with the reverse marked “© 1986 SEA-WORLD INC” and additional smaller lettering.

Souvenir teaspoons of this type were widely produced during the twentieth century as inexpensive keepsakes of towns, resorts, attractions and journeys. The mixture of traditional civic heraldry and later tourist-attraction designs is consistent with production principally during the mid- to late twentieth century.

Object Type: Souvenir Teaspoons
Age: Post-1940
Era / Period: Mid to Late 20th Century
Material: Metal
Finish: Silver Plated / Chrome Plated / Brass
Production Technique: Cast / Pressed
Decoration Technique: Enamelled
Style: Souvenir / Heraldic

Souvenir Spoons Silver Plated Enamel Crests Town City Heraldic Mixed Lot