{"product_id":"barker-brothers-silver-baby-spoon-birmingham-1950","title":"Barker Brothers | Sterling Silver Baby Spoon | Birmingham | 1950","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBarker Brothers | Sterling Silver Baby Spoon | Birmingham | 1950\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA childhood rhyme, a little country scene, and a spoon made to be kept long after its first use.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSilver spoons have long been associated with gifts marking a child’s birth or christening, valued both as useful objects and as keepsakes. This example was made by Barker Brothers Silver Ltd, a Birmingham silver manufacturer, and bears Birmingham hallmarks dating it to 1950–51. Its looped handle and nursery-rhyme decoration place it firmly within the tradition of silver made for children.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe bowl is embossed with a country scene: a duck rides in a cart drawn by a horse or donkey along a road, with trees and hills behind. The words “This Little Pig Went to Market” run around the lower rim of the bowl. The handle curves back on itself into a closed loop, designed for a small hand to hold, and is embossed with flowers. The reverse of the handle is hallmarked with the Barker Brothers mark “BB S LD”, the Birmingham anchor, the lion passant and the date letter A, and is stamped “Made in England”.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eExcellent condition, with the embossed decoration clearly defined and the spoon structurally sound. The silver has some surface tarnish and could be lightly polished if desired.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey Details\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaker: Barker Brothers Silver Ltd, Birmingham\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHallmarks: “BB S LD” maker’s mark, anchor, lion passant, date letter A (Birmingham, 1950–51); stamped “Made in England”\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeriod: mid-20th century\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaterial: sterling silver\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDecoration: embossed duck-and-cart scene with the inscription “This Little Pig Went to Market”; flowers on the looped handle\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDimensions: length 9.2 cm; width 2.9 cm; height 1.7 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWeight: 16 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCondition: excellent; structurally sound\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuyer profile: anyone looking for a christening or new-baby gift, and collectors of English hallmarked silver and nursery-rhyme pieces\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollector Appeal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe spoon combines several distinctive features of mid-century children’s silver: a looped handle with floral relief, a pictorial bowl and a familiar nursery-rhyme inscription. Its clearly struck Birmingham hallmarks identify both the maker and the period. At just 9.2 cm long, it is a small piece in which considerable attention was given to decoration.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEvery family keeps something small from its beginnings; often it is a spoon.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Dancing Faun Antiques","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40436725186760,"sku":"","price":1295.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0575\/3497\/2104\/files\/2021-06-29_12.47.26.png?v=1775922411","url":"https:\/\/dancingfaun.co.za\/products\/barker-brothers-silver-baby-spoon-birmingham-1950","provider":"The Dancing Faun Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}