Scandinavian silver? + makers mark

[Birchtree]

Hi there, I am new to this forum so please bear with me!
I have been going through and trying to identify some silver bit's and pieces which belonged to my late (Victorian) grandmother, most items are British but I have found a few 'foreigners' amongst them and would appreciate some help please.
My first item is a spoon with an unusual curly/ twisted handle with a ball at the end, and on the bowl 'cutouts' to the edge giving a leaf shape. Having seen a similar one on the Antiques Treasure Hunt recently I think it maybe Norwegian but not sure. I am unable to attach some pictures as I don't have an external area to do so , so not sure if anyone can help - may just the following will help someone to point me in the right direction? the numbers/ letters on the handle are : 13 1/4 and I.F.
I am interested to find out where it was made and possibly the age. Thank you

[silvermakersmarks]

Hi and welcome to the forum

You can use an online picture hosting site for your pictures, without which we are unable to provide an answer to your query. The following should help you:

https://postimages.org is recommended as an image host (after uploading your picture/s click 'Share', then copy and paste the 'Hotlink for forums' code to embed your images). Do not use Photobucket or Dropbox.

Please ensure that you embed your images rather than posting links and remember to use the 'Preview' button before submitting your post. If your images don't show up there we won't be able to see them either.

For more information see:

https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopi ... 82#p103282

Phil

[Birchtree]

Firstly thanks to Phil for his advice on a sharing website and how to do it!

Here is the link to my photo's (hopefully 3) with regards to the spoon I am looking for information on.

[Birchtree]

Ok so that didn't work only 1 picture here is the link to the other 2!

[idarf]

"13 1/4" for a purity of 13 1/4 Loth, or about 83%, and made before 1892.
Makers mark "I.F." for J.Frisenberg (founded 1868 at Lillehammer in Norway, still in business. See https://frisenberg.no)
Regards, idarf

[Birchtree]

Hi idarf, many thanks for your reply, I thought it was old but using the initials I.F. I couldn't find anything. best wishes

[Birchtree]

Sorry a couple more questions of the forum on this spoon. As it was my late grandmothers (born 1888) and now given the age most likely my great grandmothers I am intrigued by the curly twisted handle does anyone know why this is? is it a decorative spoon rather than one with a 'purpose' i.e. sugar spoon? Also it is/ looks tarnished but not being 100% silver can I clean it with a siler cleaner or something else? especially as it has there appears to be a gilt or is it gold(?) on the inside bowl of the spoon? Thanks again

[Aguest]

::::: When you put your finger through the loop, it allows you to position the spoon with the most amount of precision. ::::::: This is necessary for both feeding a baby and administering medicine to an elderly person. :::::::::: If I had to guess I would guess this was used as a medicine spoon and not a baby spoon because you would expect to see at least one faint teething mark, but I don't see any teething marks at all. ::::::::::: So my best guess is either a baby spoon or a medicine spoon, and I am sort of leaning towards the medicine spoon possibility. :::::::::::;

[Birchtree]

Hi, thanks for your reply, as you say there are no teething marks so probably used for medicine in this case. I find the design quite unusual even given the possible uses!

[dognose]

Hi,

The design is a traditional one.


Norsk Filigransfabrik - Christiania - 1902

Trev.

[Birchtree]

Wow, thank you so much for attaching some paperwork with a similar design. Sadly I can't read what it say's but note the word 'export' so perhaps that is how my family came to own it here in the UK?

[dognose]

It's a sugar spoon. If you Goggle 'sukkerskje', you will see other examples.

Trev.

[Birchtree]

Thanks again, it's amazing when you know where it was made and what it was for searching is much easier!

I did ask about cleaning it in an earlier message, currently it's quite tarnished - I only have a silver dipping solution would that do? however the inside of the spoon bowl appears to be 'gold' or some kind of gilt(?) finish which I would worry about.

[dognose]

Gently clean with a good quality silver polish, Goddard's or Haggerty's. The gold-covered bowl should need nothing more than a gentle wipe with a very soft clean cotton cloth. Dipping solutions can create long term problems and should be avoided.

For more cleaning tips see: Silver Care / Techniques

Trev.

[Birchtree]

Hi Trev

Great, thanks for the advice :)