In my last post, we had reached the mid-1800s, entering into the advent of leisure travel in Europe, a period when souvenir collecting evolved into spoon collecting, both in Europe and the United States.
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By displaying a collection that advertised where you had been, you demonstrated your interest in the world, your ability to travel, and, of course, your disposable income and accompanying status.
On May 10, 1892, the Omaha Daily Bee of Nebraska remarked on the “spoon fad,” explaining that American cities as well as those in Europe were producing their own souvenir spoons for tourists, commemorating whatever made that city or region unique and tourist-worthy. Even small towns sometimes produced their own spoon designs.
Depictions of historical events expanded the possibilities—for collectors, producers, and sellers alike. Further, the options weren’t necessarily limited to tea-spoons. A tourist might have to decide between sizes: coffee, orange, sugar, dessert, chocolate, bon-bon, or tea spoon, for instance.
Designs were protected. Such spoons, after all, featured artwork that was often quite involved. For example, Myron H. Kinsley from Connecticut patented his Niagara Falls and Suspension Bridge design for spoon and fork handles in August of 1881:
As early as the mid-1800s, prizes from local fairs and agricultural associations were sometimes in the form of spoons.
Souvenir spoons also served as gifts. Well into the twentieth century, my own grandmother expected spoons from her traveling relatives (although she decried the silver-plated ones that required polishing!). In a fairly recent New York Times Magazine article, Hannah Selinger admits to—and convincingly defends—spoon collections.
But why spoons?
It may be due to the long tradition of giving that proverbial silver spoon to infants on their christening/baptism, a custom that began during the Middle Ages (ca. 400–1400). Around the end of the Middle Ages, spoons that depicted apostles or saints were produced in Europe, and by the 1500s, these were often given for a child’s baptism.
In a more prosaic sense, spoons just made a lot of sense. They were universally used, had a convenient bowl for engraving, were stackable, and were easy to transport.
It’s unclear just where the spoon craze began, although many sources believe that it all started in Europe, sometimes citing those apostle spoons as inspiration. However, a snippet of the January 1891 The Jewelers’ Circle (Silver Salon Forum) suggests that it evolved in Europe in response to demand by Americans, which insinuates that the fad originated in the States. Whichever way the trend crossed the ocean, it was a hit on both continents.
Organizers of the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 jumped on the souvenir spoon idea as a great bit of advertising, which was savvy since some 27 million people showed up for the event. The silver-plated spoons were engraved with exposition buildings, as shown here (courtesy of UNT Libraries Special Collections).
By this time, silver-plated items, including spoons, were easily accessible. These less-expensive options to sterling silver were often aimed at female consumers and allowed manufacturers to get their products into more homes. But although silver-plate was considerably cheaper than sterling, plated items were intricately made. And many spoons, despite being small and inexpensive keepsakes, had abundant charm.
Souvenir spoons remained popular well into the 1900s but fell out of favor after WWII. Still, Expo 67, the International and Universal Exposition held in Canada in 1967, continued the souvenir spoon idea, but with a mid-century-modern vibe.
Today, diminutive spoons remain a souvenir shop mainstay but I’m not sure who buys them. Few people display them in their homes. Like no one that I know.
Except that, for full disclosure, I must admit that two of my grandmother’s spoon racks hang on my kitchen wall. Behind a door, which covers them 99% of the time.
Sources:
–Google Patents, “Design for a spoon or fork handle,” USD12428S.
–History Detectives, “History of souvenir spoons,” PBS, accessed 2/12/24.
–History Nebraska, “Souvenir spoons,” accessed 2/12/24.
Spoons: World’s Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893, physical object, 1893; (accessed February 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.
–Selinger, H., “I collect souvenir spoons. I can explain,” The New York Times Magazine, 8/3/22.
–Silver Salon Forum, SM Publications, accessed 2/13/24.
