Collecting Children’s Spoons

While interviewing the charming and delightful artisan behind I Sew Cute and As Luck Would Have It, I naturally had to ask her if she was a collector too…

Someone told me that if you have three of anything, then you have a collection. If that’s true, then I have dozens of collections!

I guess if there’s one thing I collect — by seeking it out & keeping track of the items I already have, it would be my collection of vintage and antique children’s spoons.

Some of the pieces I have are from my own childhood & the collection just grew over the years. I love that they’re a warm fuzzy reminder of the joy of childhood, as well as being functional for every day use. My kids use them, so they don’t just sit in a drawer getting dusty. I keep them in a jelly jar right in the kitchen where we can grab one in a pinch.

When did you start collecting them – or admit to yourself you were collecting them?

During my college years I started really seeking out new old spoons. I’m still a big kid at heart & don’t have fine china. We have Warner Brother’s Fiesta ware that I pull out for really special occasions & holidays. Good thing I married a guy who’s young at heart too!

You said you track them… How so?

I have a list in a moleskine sketchbook which I keep in my bag, just in case I stumble upon some at a flea market or online.

How many do you have in total?

Gosh, I’ve never counted them! Ballpark guesstimate? Around 20-25 and growing, of course.

Are they silver, or “just” metal?

I believe most of the larger ones are just silver plate or stainless steel, but a few of the wee baby spoons I have are silver.

Do you look for certain makers, characters? What makes you add a spoon to your collection — what must a spoon do to charm you?

I am not concerned at all about the manufacturers. If a spoon has a fun, whimsical, cartoony character and is in relatively decent condition, I’m going to pull out the list. The most recent ones I added were a Donald Duck and a Mickey Mouse found in a vintage shop on Etsy.

Aside from the “Can I afford this?” do you pay any attention to the monetary value of spoons?

No, I’m not collecting them because of their monetary value.

Do you have a favorite spoon?

My Snoopy and SpaghettiOs spoons are my two favorites because I’ve had them since I was a child — and I still remember how special I felt to have them. I knew someone bought them for me because they loved me. Kind of silly or sappy isn’t it? But it’s how I felt and still feel when I look at those two spoons!

It doesn’t sound silly at all — and I think “sappy” is one of the best reasons to collect.

You can keep up with June the spoon collector at her blogs: I Sew Cute and As Luck Would Have It.