Welsh Love Spoon -large Carved Love Spoon – The Shy Man – Folk Art – Wedding Spoon

Early 20th Century
Wales

Poetic and deeply symbolic, this large love spoon, carved from ancient wood weathered by time, stands as a vibrant testament to Welsh folk traditions associated with tenderness and fidelity.

Unlike the most famous Welsh Love Spoons, which are openwork and adorned with hearts or chains, this work is part of a more discreet, meditative tradition, revealing a modest and intimate declaration of love, conveyed by the finesse of the woodwork.

The upper part is richly decorated with a complex network of deeply engraved rosettes and solar motifs, evoking the eternal cycles of nature, the strength of the bond of love, and prosperity. These geometric flowers, resembling stars or wheels, also recall medieval rosettes, symbols of purity and cosmic harmony, as well as the wheels of life, where each spoke could evoke a challenge overcome together. The absence of an explicit heart, far from denying the object's emotional purpose, reflects a modest, restrained love, hidden in the slowness of the gesture, in the effort and patience of the person who crafted it.

One can imagine this shepherd, this peasant, this craftsman, carving this modest and sincere gift for his bride in the evening. A spoon, an object of everyday life, transfigured by love into an intimate talisman. The reverse side shows gentle, ancient wear, the traces of a long past life, perhaps proudly hung on the wall of a stone house and passed down as a precious family keepsake.

Beyond this singular piece, the Welsh Love Spoons carry a rich symbolic language found in many love spoons:
• The heart, a universal symbol of love, expresses the passion and depth of the sculptor's feelings, sometimes doubled to signify a shared love. • The frequently depicted caged balls evoke the desire for offspring or the powerful bond between two people.
• The chain links express fidelity and an indissoluble union.
• The diamonds convey the wish for prosperity and the promise to care for one's loved one.
• The keys and locks evoke the idea of ​​building a home together, of an exclusive and protected love.
• As for the wheels, they symbolize the commitment to hard work and guiding one's partner throughout life.

Here, the deeply engraved wheel-like rosettes concentrate all this symbolic power in a version that is both discreet and powerful, echoing a silent yet lasting love.

Condition: Beautiful antique patina, signs of wear, slight stabilized crack on the handle (see photos)

Dimensions:
Height: 25.5 cm
Width (at widest point): 11 cm

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