06/11/2009 by admin.

Way back in the mists of time, when most people were illiterate, giving a love letter to that special person was not an option, hence the lovespoon was born.  Lovespoons have been carved in Wales since at least the 1600’s, with the oldest known lovespoon on display in St. Fagin’s Museum of Welsh Life near Cardiff. 

However, this lovespoon is quite an elaborate design, so most likely, lovespoons had already been carved for awhile and this spoon is a result of the craft evolving.

 As Cawl ( a Welsh Broth) was a principal part of the Welsh diet, it is believed that the lovespoon is an extension of the Cawl spoon.

With the carving getting more and more elaborate, it could be that the man was not only carving a love letter for the girl who had caught his eye, but also, to impress the girl’s father, and show how good he was with his hands, vital in the then rural Wales.

Accepting the lovespoon did not mean the girl had accepted the carver’s desire for courtship to begin, neither was it an early form of engagement ring.  In fact, the popular village girls were known to amass several lovespoons for their collection.

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06/11/2009 by admin.

The Birth of a Lovespoon

Unlike now, the carver could not go to his local timber merchant, neither could he search the internet for that special piece of wood.  He would need to find a log, split it, and then leave it awhile to season and settle, and only then, months later, could he begin to carve it.

Before he could begin to carve, he would need to know the message he wished to convey.  He might add a double heart - we feel the same way, or it might be a single heart - my heart is yours.  A keyhole would mean my home is yours / the home we will share, where as a cross would mean faith.  If however he was really brave, balls in a cage would symbolise the number of children desired. With the ideas now in mind, carving could begin.

At the work bench of Lovespoons Wales, 50 - 60 chilsels are lined up ready for use.  17th century lovespoon carvers did not however have that luxury.  They may only be armed with a pocket knife and a sharpened piece of metal to scrape out the bowl of the spoon.

Slowly, the shape of the lovespoon would take shape.  Many hours would be spent with the knife preparing the gift of love.  Trying to rush the spoon could result in breakage and thus the need to start again.  If the intended recipient of the lovespoon was poplar, the delay in recarving could result in her being taken by someone else.

So what is a Lovespoon?  It is a gift of love - a love letter carved in wood.

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