Type 5 Joke Wedding Spoons
In my previous post about wedding spoons I mentioned what I call a Type 5 spoon, a joke wedding spoon. This type of spoon was particularly prevalent in Sweden and in Norwegian provinces that border Sweden (keep in mind that Sweden was part of Norway until 1905) where it was presented to the newlyweds as a wedding amusement. It is characterized by upsidedown bowls, multiple bowls at odd angles, one bowl facing up and the other facing down, and unusual angles for the handles. These spoons were deliberately designed to be difficult or impossible to use. The new couple were encouraged to use them to feed each other during the wedding feast. This usually resulted in much laughter, at least among the guests, as food went everywhere except into the mouths of the bride and groom. The liberal application of alcoholic beverages contributed greatly to the festivities. To the best of my knowledge, these spoons were most popular in the latter half of the 19th Century. The earliest ...