-----Original Message----- From: Kethera <[email protected]> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Date: 26 July 2000 21:52 Subject: Re: [BRITNAMES] Re: Wood Spoons > Some of my family is from Swansea and my mother has received and bought >a variety of these spoons. She hangs them up as a decorative >ornament. Some have hearts carved in them, others have a key-like shape or >have ivy or what looks like celtic knotwork carved in them. I was lead to >believe that they represented, depending on the symbols, for >happiness/love, wealth, luck, fertility, etc. > I live on the west coast of Canada and have not really thought much >about them, though I imagine there must be some information on them on the >web somewhere. >Take care, >Melissa Kluey > Hello again Melissa Yes there are meanings attached to the various symbols carved into the spoons. They used to be carved by young men to give to their sweethearts, but these days they are made largely for the tourist industry and collectors. Some are absolutely beautiful and very expensive! If you e-mail me off-list and give me your snail-mail address, I can send you a postcard with pictures of some and a short history. I live in the county of Swansea at the moment, about 16 miles from the city. There is an area of Swansea called the Mumbles where an upmarket shop exists, devoted to lovespoons, so perhaps thats where your mum's family bought them (assuming you mean fairly recently.) All the best to you. Dawn