www.925-1000.com

I'm hoping someone can help me with a date on this piece, and also with some insight into the inscription and images on the back of the bowl. Inside the bowl is an engraved Madonna with the Christ Child... hand engraved I think. On the back of the bowl there is a seated figure whose hat is surmounted with a cross, owl over the head, and crucifix with corpus in front. The surrounding inscription reads (I think) "HIELP * O(?)S * DI * H(?)ELIGE * TREI * FO(?)LDIG * M(?)ID * M * M * D * 1511" I will be most grateful for any help with dating this piece, translating the inscription, and understanding the iconography and what this piece is commemorating or celebrating. Thanks.

marnski wrote: "HIELP * O(?)S * DI * H(?)ELIGE * TREI * FO(?)LDIG * M(?)ID * M * M * D * 1511"

Help us the holy trinity (father, sun & holy spirit)
faderen, sønne og helligånden

MMD - 1000 1000 500 but as that = 2500 it is more likely a name
Mette MadsDatter D=daughter
girlsname - then fathersname followed by Datter.

Thanks so much. So I am thinking the back of the spoon likely pictures the father, the son, and the holy ghost (the owl). That would make sense, but what significance is 1511? Hmmm...

And any ideas about a date for this piece? And what was a spoon like this used for, or was it used at all?