The Seductions of^Old Silver 
was sometimes dubbed tbe “rat-tail spoon,” in derisive comment 
upon its long and slender handle. It will be seen Irom the pic¬ 
ture that many of our earliest teaspoons were no larger than the 
present after-dinner coffee spoons. 
It is probable that no other type of spoon possesses the interest, not 
to say the money value, of the old Apostle spoons, which came into 
fashion in the sixteenth century. At that time it was an English 
custom for the sponsors to present these spoons, as baptismal gifts, 
to the children for whom they made themselves responsible. A 
wealthy godparent would give a complete set of thirteen, but a 
poor man generally contented himself with giving simply the one 
spoon which bore the figure of the child’s patron saint. 
The complete set consisted of the “Master” spoon and twelve 
others. The “Master” spoon has upon the handle a figure of 
Christ, holding in one hand the sphere and cross, while the other 
hand is extended in blessing. A nimbus surrounds the head, in all 
these spoons. Each apostle is distinguished by some emblem. 
Saint Paul has a sword. Saint Thomas a spear, and Saint Andrew 
a cross. Saint Matthias carries an axe or halberd. Saint Jude a 
club, Saint Bartholomew a 
Cruet stand, early part of the nineteenth 
century, private Salem collection 
butcher’s knife, and Saint 
Philip a long staff with a cross 
in the T. Saint Peter appears 
with a key. Saint James the 
Greater with a pilgrim’s staff. 
Saint James the Less with a 
fuller’s hat, and Saint Mat¬ 
thew with a wallet. Saint 
John has one hand raised in 
blessing, while the other holds 
the cup of sorrow. 
Whole sets of these spoons 
are very rare. In fact, there 
are said to he but two whole 
sets in existence, with another 
set of eleven. One of these 
sets sold in 1903 for ^24,500, 
while another set of less 
ancient date brought ^5,300. 
Tankard and spoon, owned by Mrs. F. Pousland, 
Salem, Mass. 
A single Apostle spoon, bear¬ 
ing upon its handle a figure 
of Saint Nicholas, and upon 
Its stem the inscription, “ Saint 
Nicholas, pray for us,” sold 
in London for $3,450, a few 
years ago. This is said to be 
the highest known price ever 
paid for one single spoon. 
I he oldest hall-marked 
Apostle spoon is dated 1493, 
while the most modern of 
which we have any record 
hears the date of 1665. It is 
probable that the custom of 
giving these baptismal pres¬ 
ents began to go out of fash¬ 
ion at that period. 
Other spoons of great in¬ 
terest, although not so old as 
the earliest Apostle spoons, 
are the curious little “caddy-spoons,” which came into vogue 
with the first popularity of tea-drinking more than two centu¬ 
ries ago. The tea was at first kept in canisters, whose lids 
served as a measure. Then came into use the quaint and 
dainty tea-caddy, with its two-lidded and metal-lined end 
compartments, and a central cavity to be used as a sugar 
bowl. A favorite and poetic custom of the old sea-captains, 
upon visiting China, was to have their ships painted upon china 
caddies by Chinese artists, as gifts for wives or sweethearts 
at home. 
Now since the sugar howl was a part of the tea-caddy, the 
use of the caddy-spoon or scoop became immediately popular. 
All of these spoons have very short stems and handles, with 
bowls of fanciful design, perforated, or shell-shaped, or fluted. 
A few were made like miniature scoops, with handles of ebony; 
while others were perfect imitations of leaves, the leaf stem curl¬ 
ing around into a ring, to make the handle. 
In this country, caddy-spoons came into use after the 
Sugar bowl and sugar tongs, Mrs. D. P. Page, 
Newburyport, Mass. 
