William Holburne loved spoons, and we have over 120 as part of the original bequest. While we are not sure why he was so keen on spoons, we do know that his favourite seems to be the Apostle spoons, which generally came in sets of 13, depicting Jesus/Mary and the 12 apostles on the handles.
Popular from the 15th Century, the earliest known mention of these spoons was from a will in York around 1494. They were also Henry VIII’s favourite gifts to give to his courtiers. From the early 16th Century to the latter part of the 17th Century, Apostle spoons were popular baptism gifts that Godparents gave at Christenings. In Shakespeare’s Henry VIII, Act V, Scene II, King Henry asks Thomas Cranmer to be Godfather to the young princess Elizabeth.
KING HENRY: That is a fair young maid that yet wants baptism—You must be godfather and answer for her.
CRANMER: The greatest monarch now alive may glory / In such an honour; how may I deserve it, / That am a poor and humble subject to you?
KING HENRY: Come, come, my lord—you’d spare your spoons.
Due to the expense, many gave Godparents a single spoon instead of the full set of 13. Each apostle was identified with one of his attributes, often linked to his martyrdom: St Simon the Zealot is shown with a saw, and St Bartholomew has a flaying knife.
Image: Detail of Apostle Spoon, St. James the Greater, made by William Simpson, Silver, c. 1534, © The Holburne Museum
Visitors can view the spoons on our first floor.