Spoons probably have the longest history of any artefact. They have been made ever since man discovered that handling liquids was vital to his existence. Produced from a great diversity of materials, spoons have always held a fascination for collectors. This book traces the history of English spoons, noting their social position in history and the many changes in style and form as their versatility was discovered. Spoons that once graced medieval ducal tables and those of base metal used by commoners are illustrated and described. The author gives collectors some guidelines to follow should they find an antique spoon of unknown origin and date or be asked for an opinion. In spoon collecting there are so many slight variations of standard patterns that one could spend a lifetime hunting for the rarer types and still be unable to deem one's collection complete. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Simon Moore has been interested in English antique eating cutlery for over twenty-five years. A study of silver-bladed folding fruit knives began with a gift from a friend and this led to a wider interest, encompassing first spoons and then knives and forks. Other titles for Shire by this author are: Penknives and other Folding Knives (currently out of print) Table Knives and Forks (currently out of print))
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