Welsh Lovespoons

In the old days in Wales, a young man would carve a fancy spoon to give to the girl that he wanted to court. (The expression "to spoon" comes from this custom.) It was important to prove to the potential father-in-law that the young man was good at working with wood, because he would have to make all his family's furniture, dishes and eating utensils. The symbols carved into the spoon's handle all had meanings; most of our lovespoons come with a tag that explains these. Hearts are for love, of course. Bells are for the hoped-for wedding. A horseshoe is for luck (in Wales, a bride and groom are always given a horseshoe on their wedding day). A wheel promised, "I will work for you." Balls in a cage could mean either the number of children hoped for, or (if married) the number of years together. And so forth; there is a long list of possible symbols.

Today lovespoons are often given as wedding and anniversary gifts; however, they are also given for birthdays, baby gifts, friendship, Christmas, etc. Valentine's day is a natural They are considered to be folk craft items first, and, under the right circumstances, romantic items as well. The spoons on this page are all made in Wales.

There is a tag with all lovespoons on this page unless otherwise noted, giving some information on the custom of the lovespoon.

Our mini lovespoons for wedding favors are shown on a separate page.

See the lovespoon boxes at the bottom of this page, nice for presenting a lovespoon as a gift.

Lovespoons by Richard Downes of Swansea

The spoons shown below are hand carved in Wales by Richard Downes. The LV20 to LV25 are engraved with his signature "R" on the back of the bowl, and include a tag with information on the tradition of the Welsh lovespoon. The exact color of the wood can vary, as can the amount and design of the grain. Each of these is unique.

LV20 (at left). This lovely spoon is topped by a Welsh dragon, standing on a heart, a daffodil (the Welsh flower) and a harp (the Welsh national instrument). 15" long overall. With tag. $89.

LV21A (at left). This spoon has wedding bells above two hearts, with Celtic interlace. You can carve the names of the bride and groom on the hearts, and the wedding date. (We regret that we do not do this.)  About 10 3/4" overall. With tag. $49
LV21B. Same spoon as LV21A, but smaller. About 8 3/4" overall. With tag. $30

LV22A. Dragon, hearts and Celtic interlace. 11" long overall. With tag. $59
LV22B. Same spoon, but smaller. About 8 1/4" long. With tag. $42.

LV23A. The harp and dragon lovespoon. (You can see why we like this one!) The national musical instrument of Wales, plus the Welsh dragon, a powerful duo. 9 1/4" long overall, and over 4" wide. With tag. $69
LV23B. The Harp and dragon lovespoon, small size. About 7 1/4" long. With tag. $49

LV24. Two-daffodil lovespoon for your pleasure. The daffodil is the flower of Wales, and the artist has realized these in a graceful work of art. Two sizes:
LV24A. Large size. Just under 11" long. With tag. $49
LV24B. Small size. Just over 8" long. With tag. $35

LV25A. Two hearts and a ribbon of twists and curls make this a nice lovespoon for any occasion. 9 3/4" long overall. With tag. $42
LV25B. Same spoon, but smaller. About 7 3/4" long. With tag. $30

New design! Grapevine lovespoon. The traditional meaning of the vine design is "love grows." This spoon is a very nice artistic design.

LV26A. Large size, just under 10" long. $52

LV26B. Small size, about 8 1/4" long. $30

Mini Lovespoon

LV27.  Mini lovespoon with two hearts, twisted stem and a trio of ribbon curls on top. Wood color may very. Shown oversize, compared to the spoons above.

LV27A. Size small: 3 3/4" long. $8
LV27B. Size large: 4 1/2" long $12

Dragon Lovespoon by Paul Curtis

Sale! LV30. Dragon atop two large hearts. Hand Carved in South Wales, satin finish. 11" long overall. Regular $89, on sale at $75. We have one of these left.

Dragon Lovespoon by Carl Milliner of Wales

LV40. Dragon and square cross. This handcarved lovespoon has a primitive style of carving. 9 3/4"overall. Regular $49. We have one left and will sell them off at $39.

Small Lovespoons in Two sizes

About 5 1/2"  long, dark wood, available in the designs shown at left. Folded color-printed tag (see below) with information on the lovespoon is included with each spoon. Made in Wales. $6 each, or $5.50 each for 10 or more.

From left to right: LV60,  and LV63.

About 7" long, dark wood in the designs shown at left. Folded color-printed tag (see below) with information on the lovespoon is included with each spoon. Made in Wales. $9 each, $8 each for 10 or more.

From left to right: LV70, LV71 and LV72.

This folded tag is the one given with the small lovespoons above. It's about 2" square. Inside is a statement of the meaning of the lovespoon, and a place to write to/from names. On the back is a list of some common meanings for lovespoon symbols.The tag can be bought separately @ 75 cents each.

Our mini lovespoons for wedding favors are shown on a separate page.

Lovespoon Gift Boxes

We've often been asked about these, and they are finally available in two sizes. Both sizes have the same design and information; on one side is the legend of the lovespoon, and on the other side is a listing of 20 symbols and their significance.
Small lovespoon box: 9" x 3" x 1 1/2". $1.50 each
Large lovespoon box: 12" x 5" x 1 1/2". $2.50 each

Booklet About Lovespoons

This makes a nice item to give along with your lovespoon.

The booklet, Lovespoons From Wales, by D. C. Perkins, covers the origin of the custom of giving lovespoons, the giving of lovespoons today, and the many symbols and their meanings. There are also several pages devoted to a glossary of terms associated with the making of lovespoons. Colored photos and black-and-white drawings of many lovespoons. 24pp. $7

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The Harp and Dragon
25 Madison St, Cortland, NY 13045 USA
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