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Author	Topic: His and Her's Spoons
doobees Posts: 277 Registered: Jan 2003	posted 04-13-2003 05:29 PM I'd really appreciate help determining the country of origin of these two spoons. My guess was that they were eastern or middle eastern, or maybe Spanish or Mexican,but they have no marks whatsoever to give me at least a clue. The spoon sites on the internet did not have anything close. They are silver, but not in a "Gorham" way, more like a "Mexican jewelry" silver. They are both very similar, but the smaller of the two (5" to the end of the point) is much more ornate - with engraved bird, possibly a peacock, sitting on a sprig of berries coming out of three large leaves. There is also a rather crude bit of an amber-like stone set in prongs. The bowls are quite shallow and there is a pick at the opposite end. I found these at a low-end "puce" (flea market) and though they are hardly heirloom quality, they are of interest to me and I'd like to find out a bit about them. ------------------ Suzanne D IP: Logged
Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 Registered: Apr 93	posted 04-13-2003 05:52 PM Have you seen the post about Araucanian Topu (Tobu) Spoons (mystery silver item)(click here)? IP: Logged
doobees Posts: 277 Registered: Jan 2003	posted 04-13-2003 06:29 PM Exactement!!! Though it's much smaller, I'm sure you were exactly right. Won't I look chic sticking these babies through a scarf to finally be able to keep it in place. I'm glad that I didn't try them for eating "snob hors-d'oeuvres" (That's an exact quote from the guy who sold them to me) ------------------ Suzanne D IP: Logged
Patrick Vyvyan Posts: 640 Registered: May 2003	posted 06-11-2003 01:24 AM Is this Suzanne spotted in a Parisian flea market showing off her new "Araucanian Topu (Tobu) Spoons"? Or perhaps at the meat market, haggling for a goat's head? Or even on her way to check out metal content at her dentist's? Unfortunately I think not. I suspect your "spoons" are not Mapuche from Chile but possibly from Peru or Bolivia. The Mapuche lady in the photo is using two traditional Tupu. Basically the Tupu is circular (up to 20 cm in diameter)with a long pin and used for fixing clothing and supporting other jewellery. Up until the latter 19th century the Mapuche, in the mid south of Chile, maintained their independence from the Spanish, until they were "pacified". In other parts of Latin America, especially Peru and Bolivia, contact was very much closer from the 16th century onwards. I imagine they too used similar circular pins before the Europeans. Then they acquired colonial spoons which they converted to jewellery. Thereafter they began to manufacture pins derived from the form of the spoons which they had previously converted. Now I guess they are turned out for the tourists - this type of silver is notoriously difficult to date. I will try to find some more conclusive references to the pieces both you and Vathek have. But in the meantime, my first impression is that neither your spoons nor those in the internet Souvenir Spoons Museum are Chilean. IP: Logged
doobees Posts: 277 Registered: Jan 2003	posted 06-11-2003 03:53 AM Patrick, that was pretty darned funny Can you see anyone trying to get through the metal detectors at the airport in that? Thanks for the new info! Who knew... I look forward to any additions to this that you may find. ------------------ Suzanne D IP: Logged

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