Apostle spoon facts for kids
An apostle spoon is a special type of spoon. These spoons are usually made of silver or are silver-plated. They have a small statue of an apostle or another saint at the end of the handle. Each saint has a unique symbol, which helps you know who they are.
Apostle spoons were very popular a long time ago, especially before the Reformation. They were a way to remember the Last Supper, where Jesus ate with his Apostles. These spoons were particularly common in England and Germany.
Where Did Apostle Spoons Come From?
Apostle spoons first appeared in Europe in the early 1400s. People used them for eating at the dinner table. Often, they came in sets of thirteen. Twelve spoons had figures of the Apostles. The thirteenth spoon usually showed Jesus, and was called the 'Saviour' or 'Master' spoon.
The British Museum in London has a set from England made around 1536–7. This set has a figure of the Virgin Mary on the thirteenth spoon.
By the 1500s, these spoons became popular gifts. People often gave them as baptismal presents to their godchildren. However, by the 1660s, they started to become less common. In some places, this tradition continued until the mid-1900s.
One of the first times apostle spoons were mentioned was in a will from 1516. A woman named Amy Brent left "XIII sylver spones of J' hu and the XII Apostells" to someone. Famous writers like Shakespeare also mentioned them in their plays. For example, in his play Henry VIII, a character jokes about needing spoons for a baptism.
Finding a complete set of twelve apostle spoons is rare. Finding a set of thirteen, including the larger spoon with Jesus, is even rarer.
Sometimes, you might find single apostle spoons. These spoons were not part of a full set. They might just show an apostle holding something simple, like a book. These single spoons were often made of electroplated nickel silver (EPNS). You can usually find "EPNS" marked on the back.
How to Tell Them Apart
You can figure out which Apostle is on a spoon by looking at their special symbol, called an attribute. Here is a list of common attributes:
- The Master: a cross and an orb (a ball representing the world)
- Saint Peter: a sword or a key, sometimes a fish
- Saint Andrew: a cross
- Saint James the Greater: a pilgrim's staff (a walking stick)
- St. John: the cup of sorrow
- Saint Philip: a staff
- Saint Bartholomew: a knife
- Saint Thomas: a spar (a type of spear)
- Saint Matthew: an axe or a halberd (a long weapon)
- Saint James the Lesser: a fuller's bat (a tool for cleaning cloth)
- Saint Jude: a carpenter's set square (a tool for drawing right angles)
- Saint Simon Zealotes: a long saw
- Judas Iscariot: a bag of money
See also
In Spanish: Cuchara de apóstol para niños
