{HISTORY}

It's fun to imagine the parties that these two antique punch ladles must have seen.  They both date to 19th century and both feature hand-turned wooden handles with deep bowls and interesting leaf-style flourishes on the back side. 

The ladle with the black handle was made in Sweden in 1825. It's marked by the maker C. G. Hallberg, one of Sweden's most revered jewelers and goldsmiths, along with three crowns, a town location symbol and a date code stamp of T3 signifying that it was made in 1825. 

At the top of the wooden handle, you'll notice a small ivory-colored knob. We suspect that might be whalebone - a decorative flourish at the end of a long and graceful handle. This ladle also features monograms in two places - one a set of initials (possibly CSB or ESS) and the other looks like a name spelled out in entirety in large cursive script but is not legible enough to fully read.  

The other ladle is unmarked as far as maker or manufacturing date but we have seen very similar ones (almost exact) that are attributed to France in the 19th century. This ladle is heavier than the Swedish one, most likely made by a combination of metals and the wood handle shows a little bit more wear.  There is a beautiful leaf-style design on the back of the ladle and authentic tarnish that gives it a wonderful aged aesthetic. 

As the ladles attest, the history of punch goes back centuries. Originating in India, a true heritage punch consisted of five flavor components - sour, sweet, spice, water and alcohol. It was a favorite drink in taverns, onboard sailing ships and in private homes around the world. Served in large bowls with coordinating cups, punch added an air of festivity and gaiety to all sorts of occasions from meetings to social gatherings to weddings and celebrations.  Hard-to-find items now, antique punch ladles from the 19th century are true travelers from the past. They were prized possessions, oftentimes status symbols of a family's wealth, and considered treasured heirlooms that would be passed down through generations. Perhaps that might explain the two different sets of monograms on the Swedish ladle. Sometimes they were even given as prizes.  In England in the 1830s, we found mention of a juried gardening show awarding silver ladles as top prize for certain floral categories. Whichever way someone acquired their ladle, it was an honor and point of pride to count one among their possessions. 

{SPECIAL FEATURES} 

- Rare finds

- Sold Individually

{CONDITION}

Swedish Ladle: A portion of the finial at the end is missing. There is tarnish on the bowl in various places. The bowl is securely attached to the handle. The small monogram just below the leaf design on the back of the silver part of the handle is fairly legible. The larger monogram above the leaf design is very hard to read (and also to photograph!).

French Ladle: A decorative element at the end of the handle is missing. There is quite a bit of tarnish on the bowl and handle. The bowl is securely attached to the handle. 

Please send a message with any questions. We are also happy to take additional photographs at your request. 

{SIZE}

The Swedish ladle measures 15.75" inches in length. The bowl measures 4.75" inches (length) x 2.75 (width at widest part) x 1.25" inches (depth) and weighs 3.8 oz

The French ladle measures 15.5" inches (length). The bowl measures 4.75" inches (length) x 3.15" inches (width at widest part) x 1.25" inches (depth) and weighs 5.6 oz.