Inuit Carved Bone Spoon with Incised Decoration
18th–19th century — c. 1800–1850
- Material
- Horn / bone
- Use
- Serving
- Century
- 19th century CE
- Size
- Large
- Provenance
- Owner's collection
Dimensions2 measurements
- Overall length
- 21.5 cm
- Overall width
- 4.2 cm
Catalogue Note
A rustic carved bone or horn spoon of modest but enduring form, the handle tapered and finished with a shallow rounded tip, adorned with incised linear chevron work near the shoulder. The bowl is shallow and well-worn, with an organic patina suggesting long use in a domestic or maritime kitchen; the handle bears a simple wire-wrapped binding at the neck, a common reinforcement technique of the period. The piece exhibits honest wear consistent with a working implement rather than a display object.
Spoon Lore
Bone and horn spoons were favored by seafarers and rural households well into the 19th century, as they were durable, warm to the hand, resistant to corrosion in salt air, and far cheaper than metal—making them the practical cutlery of choice aboard ship and in humble homes where a family might own but one or two.
From the collection of
Hannah Kim