Spoons

247. Two very early spoons with inscriptions that read “Kaffir spoon Kaffir war. 1852. Capt Duff, 74th high” which refers to the 74th highlanders. The Kaffir war refers to the eighth Xhosa war 1850-1853 which was fought between the British, Khoikhoi and Xhosa. There are several related spoons in the British Museum all with early collection dates. For another example see “The Art of South East Africa” page 220 illustration 102. These spoons are often attributed to the Tswana and interestingly there was a battle between the Boers and the Tswana in 1852. Some of the spoons in the British Museum are attributed to the Tswana and some to the Khoikhoi or Korana. They are more likely to have been made by the Tswana as later examples and similar stylistically carved spoons have been collected and documented to have been found amongst those people. Some were probably traded to other tribes and consequently collected there.

The larger has some losses.

55cm and 40cm.