Spoon, carved birchwood, Norway, ca. 1900

This spoon was given to the Museum in 1926 with little recorded history, except the tradition that it was Norwegian. The form of such a decorative spoon was certainly popular in Norway, and the decorative devices carved and incised on it are similar to other traditional woodwork from that country.

It seems likely that this spoon was made in the late 19th or early 20th century, at a time when there was a great revival of traditional carving in Norway, using motifs that had been used traditionally since the Middle Ages. This style came to be known as the 'dragon style', because the carvings often included monstrous figures of serpents or dragons. As in many European countries, this revival of folk art traditions was associated with the rise of nationalism. In Norway this was particularly important as it became the focus of the country's struggle for independence from Sweden (which had ruled the country from 1814).

This was finally achieved in 1905 but it is interesting to note that at the International Exhibition in 1900 in Paris, Norway already insisted on having its own stand, from which the V&A bought a number of pieces carved in 'dragon style', including chairs by Lars Kinsarvick (Museum numbers 4-1901 and 5-1901). The rise of nationalism occurred just at the time when tourism in Norway began to develop and such traditional carving was also much favoured in the souvenir trade. Large spoon of light-coloured wood (probably birch), carved with traditional ornament.

The flat handle is carved and pierced with formal ornament and ends in an owl's head (on the front), and the head of a man (on the reverse), flanked by a pair of bears' heads, facing to the side. Above this a finial is in the form of four carved chains or tassels, these hanging free and fully articulated. The inside of the bowl is decorated with incised decoration, centreing on a rosette composed of three interlaced figures-of-eight against a leafy background, the whole surrounded by a frame of running scroll, also incised. The back of the bowl is incised with an S shape of foliate scrolls.