Pair of Silver-Plated Berry Spoons | Gilded Repoussé Fruit Bowls | Original Fitted Case | Victorian | c.1860s–1890s

Berry spoons were made for the dessert course — the moment at the Victorian table when formality softened slightly and the fruit arrived.

The berry spoon is one of the most decorative forms in the Victorian silver and silverplate repertoire, widely produced by English plating houses from the mid-nineteenth century onward for the household and gift markets. The combination of a gilded bowl — applied both to protect the metal from fruit acids and to enhance visual richness — with repoussé fruit decoration is characteristic of quality examples of the type. Cased pairs such as this were frequently chosen as wedding or presentation gifts, and examples retaining their original gilding in well-preserved condition are increasingly difficult to find.

Each spoon has a long tapering handle with engraved foliate decoration along the stem, terminating in a plain shouldered end. The bowls are oval with shaped scalloped borders and gilded interiors, worked in repoussé with matching fruit and foliate compositions. Grapes, leaves, and mixed soft fruit are rendered in raised relief with good depth and clarity, creating a lively and richly textured surface. The warm contrast between the gilt interiors and polished silver-plated exterior is particularly effective.

The spoons are presented in their original fitted case, lined in deep berry-red velvet with a purple satin lid lining. The case exterior is leatherette over board and shows age-consistent wear, along with a repair to the reverse, as visible in the photographs.

The gilding to both bowls is intact and well-preserved. There is minor plating wear to one handle. The velvet interior is intact. The case exterior shows age-consistent wear and a repair to the reverse.

Key Details

•  Material: Silver-plated with gilded bowls
•  Decoration: Matching repoussé fruit and foliate motifs; engraved stems
•  Period: Victorian, c.1860s–1890s
•  Spoon Length: 22.5 cm
•  Spoon Width: 4.8 cm
•  Case Dimensions: 26.5 cm × 12 cm × 3.7 cm
•  Weight (each spoon): 77 g
•  Total Weight (including case): 436 g
•  Condition: Very good — gilding intact and well-preserved; minor plating wear to one handle; case interior intact; case exterior shows age wear and repair to reverse

Collector Appeal

A classic example of Victorian tableware, this cased pair of berry spoons offers both decorative charm and historical character. The matching repoussé bowls, well-preserved gilding, and original fitted case make it particularly appealing to collectors of antique silverplate and to those seeking elegant, usable pieces for entertaining or display.

A cased pair of berry spoons that has kept its gilding for a century and a half has been looked after — and that care is part of what you are buying.