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Souvenir Spoon
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| Accession #: | 4429.87 |
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| Title: | Souvenir Spoon |
| Object Type: | Spoon, Souvenir |
| Participants: | |
| Physical Description: | Silver souvenir spoon with decorated handle and a bowl shaped like a shell; back of spoon bowl is ridged to resemble a shell while interior of bowl depicts the Milan Cathedral surrounded by a field of blue. The handle of the spoon is topped with Milan flag and a coiled snake eating a child, the symbol of Milan. |
| Description: | Souvenir spoons grew from late 19th century European leisure tourism. As wealthy Americans on their Grand Tour brought home spoons from cities and landmarks they had seen, American silversmiths began production. An 1890 Salem Witch Spoon sparked a national obsession and soon hundreds of patterns commemorated American cities and towns, famous people, historical events and significant events of the time. National exposure grew with several books on collecting and promotion via the 1893 Chicago World Fair. New mass production techniques and the collapse of the silver market also made silver more affordable. The mania continued for 30 years, waned with World War One, but remains a niche hobby worldwide. Helen Campbell collected about 100 such spoons, either purchased to represent her own travels or in the form of gifts from family and friends. |
| Category: | Campbell Collection |
| Geographical Reference: | Campbell House (Washington->Spokane County->Spokane) |
| Dimensions: |
length 4 3/4"
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| Materials/Techniques: |
silver (Material)
enamel (fused coating) (Technique)
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| Credit Line: | Museum Purchase, 2019 |
To order a reproduction, inquire about permissions, or for information about prices see:
https://www.northwestmuseum.org/collections