It is known that in Russia spoons began to be used several centuries earlier than in many other European countries. Chronicles mention that Prince Vladimir ordered craftsmen to make silver spoons for his retinue. At this time, wooden spoons were already widely used across Russia.
In some families, craftsmen made their own utensils. In most cases, however, people used the products crafted by professional spoon makers. Spoons were made of various types of wood, including maple, birch, aspen, linden, plum, and apple. They were simple and practical items.
Carved and painted spoons appeared much later. Apart from the Italians and Greeks who had been familiar with such utensils since ancient times, Europeans started using silver spoons only in the 13th century. Some spoons featured images of the disciples of Jesus Christ on the handles and were thus known as “apostle spoons.”
In the 15th century, in addition to bronze and silver, spoons were also made of copper and brass. Metal was still a luxury reserved for wealthy individuals, while the poor used wooden products. When aluminum was discovered, the first utensils made from this metal were served only to distinguished guests. Everyone else used silverware.
Tea drinking traditions contributed to the appearance of smaller spoons. Teaspoons appeared, and later, coffee spoons were introduced. The discovery of stainless steel in the early 20th century marked a turning point in the history of utensils. This metal became the main material for production, with almost 80% of all spoons worldwide being made from it.
The teaspoons from the exhibition of the Nizhny Lomov Museum of Local Lore were supposedly made in the second half of the 20th century. The design was applied using hot enamel and hand painting. These enameled spoons were part of the “Cities” series and featured images of Moscow, Leningrad, Volgograd, Vladivostok, Gorky, Sochi, and other cities. The approximate period of production is indicated by the name of the city of Volgograd which was adopted only in 1961.
