Late 18Th Century Welsh Love Spoon.

A Late 18th Century Welsh Love Spoon

Superbly carved from rich, dark fruitwood, this remarkable love spoon is an outstanding survival of late 18th-century Welsh folk art. The pierced rectangular panel is intricately decorated with traditional courtship motifs: hearts symbolising love, keyholes for security and home, crescents for faith and growth, and whirligig pinwheels evoking life’s continuity. At the centre, a boldly carved roundel radiates with petal-like spokes, a further symbol of vitality and prosperity.

Beneath the panel, twin shafts descend to two finely shaped spoon bowls, each separated by notched blocks—an unusual feature signifying unity and sharing within a partnership. The entire surface has developed a deep, lustrous patina from centuries of handling, enhancing the warmth and character of the fruitwood.

Love spoons were tokens of affection, painstakingly carved by suitors to demonstrate both devotion and skill. This double-spooned example, rich in symbolic detail, speaks not only of love but of a wish for enduring union and plenty.

A rare and evocative example of 18th-century Welsh vernacular carving, steeped in tradition and sentiment.

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