Antique hand-carved spoon with excellent detailed carved decoration Closed: Tue 23rd Sep

Antique, hand carved and decorated wooden spoon, dated for 24th October 1919. The spoon is a truly unique curiosity, carved from what appears to be a single piece of New Zealand Kauri or Totara and bearing quite intricate decoration – the carver was clearly a craftsman of significant talent. The bowl of the spoon shows wear commensurate with age and use, fading to the timber colour, due perhaps to being exposed to, and frequently immersed in liquids. Potential buyers should note that there is a hairline crack running from the centre of the leading edge of the bowl progressing toward the shaft of the spoon. This fine crack runs for about a centimetre on the inner surface of the bowl and perhaps half as much again on the bottom side. The terminal of the shaft is both darker in colour and showing less impact from use. This has enabled the carving to remain crisp and sharp on both front and rear surfaces. The two cartouches with initials are taken to indicate at least one person and either a second person or some special significance to that person. Research has failed to come up with a definitive indication of what RFI may indicate (options range through ‘request for information – unlikely, and Radio France Internationale – also unlikely).so it seems reasonable to lean toward these being the initials of a second person. Perhaps the spoon marks an engagement, marriage or similar, it in likely that we will never know. We do know that there is strong ties to New Zealand with some of the filigree-like carving being of Maori designs and of course the full ‘Tiki’ on the rear surface. The spoon measures 10” (254mm) in length.

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