Ever thought I can make that?

[mk209]

After being a collector for many years now and never really thought about making my own spoons I thought it was about time I did. It’s a little unfinished but I’ll do some more work to it when I get time. It was entirely made by hand and no mechanical tools were used.





It really gave me an insight into how long early spoons take to make by hand. It took about 12 hours in total and that wasn’t anywhere near the time it would take to carve the decoration and finish it with gilt. Interesting to know how much the spoons cost back in the 1680’s compared to the hours worked to make them.

I will be making more now and different types but trefids are really nice to make knowing that they are so old and probably nobody is making them these days.

Matt.

[dognose]

Hi Matt,

Great job! Here's a link to the making of a spoon carried out by Tom (admin), some years ago:

https://www.925-1000.com/spoon.html

Does your method of manufacture vary from his?

Trev.

[mk209]

Yes! I wish I had the luxury of a spoon die! Mine was cut out and hammered. The bowl was hammered out by hand and rounded using a soft hammer on a wood block. The rest of the work including the back of the bowl was by using a small oval shaped file.

I think if I had the dies I could make the spoons much quicker.

[mk209]

[Traintime]

Sweeet! Hey, I can't find the order form!! Just kidding. But if you do decide to go this route, buck the trend entirely. No internet. All payments in cash only. All orders and receipts written in pencil. You could become famous as the kooky silversmith who wouldn't give in to the modern world. You've found a niche in Trefids..run with it. I once put a couple of minor wood carved ships made in my spare time on my table at a show...not intending to sell them, just for accent. A guy picked them up and when he found out I actually made them he was even more adamant about buying them. Too many people in hand-made jump into the same kind of product. If you go where no one else is going, there will always be collectors. Have we added your mark to the site? BTW-the best way for collectors to up their values is to kill the artisan at the point where they have produced just enough to become known but not enough to flood the markets...best to keep looking over your shoulder.