"Welsh Lovespoons: The Story So Far"
by Christopher Watkins.
Wooden spoons have been decorated with carvings, for many hundreds of years, all over the world (Roese, 1988; Littley & Griffin, 2002; Western, 2008). In some cultures, the decorated spoon became associated with courtship and romantic love. Today, the most well-known examples may come from Wales, in the form of the Welsh lovespoon. The oldest known surviving lovespoon in Wales is dated 1667, but there is unfortunately no written evidence of the custom from that era. However, over the past 350 years, a Welsh lovespoon legend has developed...
As far back as the 1600s, a lovespoon was hand-carved from a single piece of wood by a young Welshman of the peasant classes. Frequently laced with romantic symbolism that reflected his feelings towards the lady who had stolen his heart, he would present her with his lovespoon when he had finished it. If she felt the same way about him, she would accept his love token, and their courtship would begin.
These days, Welsh lovespoons are bought by both men and women, for friends and family, to celebrate special occasions such as weddings, anniversaries, or engagements, birthdays, Valentine’s day, Mother’s day, or Christmas. Some people collect them. Others will buy them simply as a romantic gesture to tell someone she or he is special. Whatever their reason for buying or giving a lovespoon, people like to hear the legend. They like to hear about its origins and significance.
There are a number of published books/booklets about Welsh lovespoons, written by lovespoon carvers such as Mike Davies, Paul Curtis, David Western, Gwyndaf Breese, Sharon Littley and Clive Griffin, and Shirley Adler. Other books or journal articles have been published by authors such as Herbert E. Roese, Elin Meek, D.C. Perkins, and J. Romilly Allen.
Some of these publications seem to imply that the Welsh lovespoon, and its associated custom, is quite unique. However, it seems more likely that Wales was just one of many countries with a love spoon culture, but the Welsh happen to have marketed the concept to a greater degree than other nations. It is possible, of course, that we will never know for sure the true origins and intent of the lovespoon custom in Wales. Yet it is known that the custom has changed course many times over the past 300 years or so. What follows is an attempt to trace the custom beginning with what we know about lovespoons in the 21st century, back to the oldest surviving example from 1667.
What do lovespoons mean for present Welsh Culture?
In the 21st century, lovespoons are making the news on a regular basis. In January 2009, to coincide with St. Dwynwen's Day, the Welsh Patron Saint of Lovers, Sion Llewellyn donated a hand-carved lovespoon to the National History Museum of Wales, at St. Fagans, near Cardiff. During the same month, half a world away, two lovespoons, hand-carved by Welsh-born David Western of British Columbia, Canada, were featured on the cover of Lee Valley (tool) catalogue in North America. David’s work has taken the custom of lovespoon carving into the field of "wood art", although it was arguably Mike Davies, one of Wales' foremost lovespoon carvers, who began this trend in the early 1990s.
During June and July 2009, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, held annually in Washington, D.C., will feature Wales as its guest nation, together with artists and craftspeople from the country. Mike Davies will be present to demonstrate lovespoon carving to festival goers.
In December 2008, David Western gave a radio interview on Canada's CBC radio, during which he spoke at length about the lovespoon custom.Hobby carvers worldwide are taking on the challenge of Welsh lovespoons. One such person, whose work is shown either side of this passage, is Laura (Jenkins) Gorun of Columbus, Ohio. Such international popularity is due in no small part to woodworking magazines regularly featuring lovespoons. David Western presented some of his work in a number of publications during 2008, while Chris Watkins, a native of Castell Nedd, South Wales, and now living in Ohio, featured a Valentine’s lovespoon in the February-March 2008 issue of WoodCraft Magazine, .
During December 2007, Welsh wood sculptor Ed Harrison attempted to make a lovespoon from a felled cedar tree trunk. At 44ft long, and with the relevant officials on hand, he aimed to make it into the Guiness Book of World Records. Mr. Harrison aimed to double the length of his 1989 unofficial world’s largest lovespoon, which can be found at Castle Crafts opposite Cardiff Castle. Next to it is Arthur Llewellyn Thomas’ lovespoon that is shorter than a matchstick.
BBC Wales broadcast a series of programs in 2007 whereby viewers could vote for the 'National Treasure' of Wales. Lovespoons were one of the cultural icons for which viewers could vote. The same year, at the final of the Miss World Competition in China, each contestant was asked to bring a traditional gift from her country for a grand Charity Auction. Miss Wales, of course, took a lovespoon.
In 2004, Christopher Smith of Pinc Products Ltd, Llangollen, developed and began marketing lovespoons for the gay community, and received requests for them from all over the world. In December 2005 he gifted one to Sir Elton John and his partner to commemorate their civil union.
Since about 2003, the Welsh rugby team has incorporated the Welsh lovespoon into its traditions. Whenever the team go on tour, or play in the Rugby World Cup, the youngest player in the squad must take a lovespoon, hung around his neck, to all official functions. He is responsible for answering any and all questions regarding Welsh lovespoons. The lovespoons to date appear to have been carved by Richard Downes, of Swansea, and donated by The Lovespoon Gallery, of Mumbles.
In 2000, Welsh lovespoons were the subject matter in a short animated film by Robert Brown. The film, which featured two lovespoons dancing on ice to Bolero, won a short commission from Welsh language television channel, S4C.
Welsh Lovespoons in the 20th Century
At the end of the last millenium, the Royal Mail developed regional postage stamps for Scotland and Wales. The Welsh second-class stamp depicted a leek, a national symbol of Wales, made from Welsh sycamore in the style of a lovespoon carved by David Petersen.
Early in the 1990s, Mike Davies was commissioned to carve lovespoons for the Queen and late Queen Mother. Similarly, lovespoon carver and tutor Sharon Littley has recently carved lovespoons for the Archbishop of Canterbury and Prince Edward.
Some time during the latter half of the 20th century, lovespoon carving took off as a hobby in Wales. One such hobby carver was Alan Watts, of Pontneddfechan. A selection of his work may be seen in the photograph below.
A selection of lovespoons designed and hand-carved during the 1980s by Alan Watts, Pontneddfechan (to follow).
It is possible that love spoon carving as a hobby became popular due to the rise of lovespoons as tourist souvenirs and, therefore, their prominence in market stalls and tourist shops throughout Wales. When the current owner of Pethau Cymreig, a Welsh stall in Neath Market, South Wales, bought the business in 1996, it came with five lovespoons as part of the inventory. As of April 2006, he had ₤5000 worth of lovespoons in stock. Gwyndaf Breese (2006, pp.80-81) notes that during the 1960s the idea of twinning two or more similar towns and cities in different European countries became popular. It became customary for town and city councilors to visit their twinned cities, and exchange gifts on such occasions. It wasn’t long before someone had the idea that lovespoons would make an excellent souvenir of Wales. It is also probable that when the love spoon custom became one of representing Wales, the ornamentation on the spoons started to become more nationalistic. Carvings such as dragons, daffodils, and the Prince of Wales three feathers may have made their lovespoon debut during this period.
The souvenir lovespoons are not popular with many people who try to make a living from hand-carving lovespoons. In January 2008, a report on Wales.co.uk informed readers that many Welsh tourist shops selling traditional Welsh crafts, including lovespoons, are actually importing them from parts of Asia. Whether looking for a "a tidy wedding present" or "a nice little souvenir of Wales", Welsh shoppers and tourists alike are frequently drawn to these lovespoons, which are often computer/machine-controlled and mass-produced, over their hand-carved counterparts, due to the lower prices. The problem is that they tend to create an impression with people that "traditional, hand-carved love spoons" can be bought for £20-£30 or less. This makes it difficult for carvers who utilize the traditional methods, and often invest 20-30 hours or more, to charge a fair price and, therefore, make a living.
During the 1930s lovespoons began to appear at local and National shows, such as eisteddfodau, which showcased primarily musical and literary talent, but also abilities in other fields. A friend of the author, Jac Rossiter, (1914-2009) remembered them being in the Arts & Crafts Exhibition at the National Eisteddfod in the mid to late 1930’s. There is evidence of lovespoons winning competition prizes at Eisteddfodau during the 1930s (Breese, 2006, p. 87). The Second World War disrupted this brief revival in lovespoon carving, and it was 1950 before lovespoons appeared at the National Eisteddfod again.
In the 21st century, rather than being found in the Arts & Craft Pavilion of the National Eisteddfod, or in one of its competitions, lovespoons are more likely to be found in the Siop Cymreig, the Welsh shop (Personal Communication with Eira Bowen, April 2006. Eira was associated with the 2006 National Eisteddfod.) In 2006, for the first time ever, lovespoons had a stall all to themselves, operated by The Lovespoon Gallery of Mumbles, Swansea.
At the turn of the century, lovespoons were considered collectible items (Breese, 2006). This is still the case today, with Sotheby’s Auction House selling two lovespoons in 1999 for over ₤3000 each (see article). Many collections were later sold or donated to museums in Wales, but for decades were only kept in storage. However, as museums become more aware of their popularity the number of early lovespoons on view to the public is increasing. Probably the most famous example is the collection of 200 or so love spoons in the Museum of Welsh Life, in St. Fagan’s.
Welsh Lovespoons Before the 1900s
Prior to the 20th century, there is very little written evidence pertaining to Welsh lovespoon carving. It is thought that during the latter half of the 19th century, the custom all but died out, possibly due to the industrialization and Anglicization of Wales. There are many examples of lovespoons carved, particularly throughout the 1800s, but also during the 1700s and, of course, there is the oldest known Welsh love spoon, dated 1667. Most publications concerning lovespoons include a photo of the oldest lovespoon, but Breese (2006) and Western (2008) also include photos of some wonderful examples of love spoons from the 1800s and earlier. J. Romilly Allen (1901) describes two such lovespoons that were carved with a pocket-knife in 1867, and given as a wedding present.
Allen goes on to describe several more carved wooden spoons from Wales, and notes that they "present some remarkable peculiarities" (p.167), amongst which are:
They were made at home by ordinary individuals in their spare time, with the intention of being given away as presents, and were not manufactured in the workshop of a craftsman in wooden objects for sale in a shop;
The heart enters into most of the ornamental designs, showing that they were intended as presents by young men to their sweethearts.
Not every lovespoon was dated, so it is not known for certain when all surviving specimens were carved. Similarly, it is not known in which region of Wales the lovespoons were carved. Although some authors have attempted to regionalize several of the older love spoons by design (e.g. Tangerman, 1979; Meek, 2003; Western, 2008), there appears to be little evidence at present to confirm such attempts.
Recent discussion regarding the Welsh lovespoon has revolved around its origins. It is thought that the origins of the lovespoon lay in a gradual development of the domestic, mostly rural cawl (soup) spoon (Davies, M. 1996; Meek, E, 2003; Perkins, 2005; Breese, 2006; Western, D. 2008). From the cawl spoon, Jonathan Levi (1998; Breese, 2006, p.55) suggests that simple symbols or initials may have been carved into the handle, or a ring may have been carved at the end of the handle, so that the spoon could be displayed as a wall-hanging.
Contrary to the notion of lovespoons developing from cawl spoons, Herbert E. Roese (1988) suggested that Welsh love spoons are modeled on silver table spoons. He describes how the early Welsh lovespoons mirror the bowl style of silver spoons, which had recently changed to an oval shape from a pear-shaped bowl. (Cawl spoons, on the other hand were generally more rounded.) Although earlier decorated wooden spoons with a pear-shaped bowl exist from Germany, there are no such examples of Welsh lovespoons. Many people note that wood is a perishable material, so it is not surprising that there are no Welsh lovespoons from before the mid-1600s. However, Roese points out that as well as the earlier German example, archaeologists found two wooden spoons from Viking/Early Medieval York, so "preservation and survival [would have been] possible" (p.108) if earlier Welsh lovespoons had been carved.
Summary
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Decorated wooden spoons, lovespoons, have been a part of Welsh culture for nearly 350 years. Although one can be quite clear as to what the custom means to Wales and Welsh people (worldwide) in the present day, it is not always so cut and dried the further back in history we investigate. What we can be sure of is that the lovespoon tradition in Wales has changed over the past century, and indeed, it continues to change. We cannot make the mistake of claiming any of the changes, either to the Welsh lovespoon, or its custom, over the past 100 or so years have "no part in its history". For instance, the so-called cheapening of the tradition by the tourism industry may well be what brought lovespoons back into the collective conscience of the nation. If this is so, then that era in Welsh lovespoon carving has, arguably, earned the right to be included within the history.
Many questions about the lovespoon custom in Wales still need to be answered. One of the most asked questions concerns the origins of the custom. Two competing theories have been introduced, one of which, namely that lovespoons developed from cawl spoons, is currently thought to account for its origins. However, a much over-looked but recently rejuvenated theory, namely that lovespoons were modeled on silver spoons, warrants further investigation.
Sources
Allen, J. R. (1901). Some carved wooden spoons made in Wales. Archaeologia Cambrensis. Sixth Series - Vol. 1, Part 3, pp. 165-172.
Breese, G.(2006). Traditional Spooncarving in Wales. Gwasg Carreg Gwalch.
Davies, M. (1996). The Welsh Lovespoon. Private publication.
Meek, E. (2003). Llwyau Caru - Lovespoons. Gwasg Gomer Press.
Perkins, D. C. (2005). Lovespoons from Wales. Domino Books (Wales) Ltd.
Roese, H. E. (1988). Lovespoons in perspective. Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies. Vol. 35, pp.106-116.
Tangerman, E.J. (1979). 1001 Designs for Whittling & Woodcarving. Bonanza Books N.Y.
Western, D. (2008). Fine Art of Carving Lovespoons. Fox Chapel Publishing, PA
Other Literature
Adler, S. (2004). Carving Spoons: Welsh Love Spoons, Celtic Knots and Contemporary Favorites. Fox Chapel Publishing, PA
Allen, J. R. (1906). Welsh wooden spoons with ornamental carving and love symbols. Archaeologia Cambrensis. Sixth Series - Vol. 6, pp. 47-49.
Curtis, P. (Undated). The Welsh Lovespoon Tradition. Private publication.
Littley, S. & Griffin, C. (2002). Celtic Carved Lovespoons. Guild of Master Craftsman Publications, Ltd.
