Here is another of my favourite vintage homeware purchases that I got for next to nothing from a local hospice charity shop. It is a set of six, shell shaped, silver plated fruit / dessert spoons. They cost a mere 10p each! This particular shop always has a tray of cutlery & everything is 10p each whether it is plastic or real silver. I always have a good rummage & have picked up some treasures in there from time to time. My last bargain was a set of six vintage, silver plated, cake forks.
60p the lot!
These are good quality when it comes to the world of spoons. They are hallmarked ‘EPNS Sheffield England’ on the back. We all know Sheffield was the king of cutlery making in years gone by. A quick Google search taught me that EPNS stands for ‘Electro Plated Nickel Silver’ so I learned something new as well. The spoons were a bit lacklustre when I bought them but, after a few minutes dipped in my trusty jar of ‘Silver Dip’, they came out gleaming.
My mum had a set of these when I was little & I remember eating tinned Fruit Cocktail with them! You only used to get one or two cherries in a full tin – the rest was cubed peaches and pears with the odd flabby grape thrown in. Nothing has changed…my 5 year old daughter has taken over my Fruit Cocktail eating and I can confirm that there were only two HALF cherries in a whole tin the last time she indulged. What a swizz!
On another occasion, and in another shop, I managed to find the ‘mother’ to these little spoons. Yes, I got my hands on a large silver serving spoon in the same shape! It is not from the same set as it is ever so slightly different but I felt very lucky to find it, nonetheless. Bring on the next tin of Fruit Cocktail! But spare the Carnation Milk….that is one throwback to the seventies that I can do without. Hey, anyone remember Dream Topping?!
Dolly Decades 
LOL I remember those tinned fruit salads too! Were a very special treat back in the 50s, and as a little girl I was always disappointed not more cherries in them. Well done on your pretty spoons. Keep an eye out for a box for them, maybe at boot fairs? We had a similar set when I was a child (wonder what happened to them) and they were in a box with mock leather on outside of it and little levers that closed across to keep each individual spoon in place if I remember rightly.
Isn’t it great that these spoons have brought back such happy & vivid memories from our childhoods? That’s why I love old things – they always have a story behind them.
These spoons are so shiny and amazing. They can be used for a lot of things and bring loads of happiness.