in
which these pretty little objects are shown, explains that they are
arranged to show the evolution of the lovespoon from the normal spoon.
Such lovespoons might, a few years ago, have been seen in many Welsh
homes, where they hung as things of ornament and sentiment, for it is
said they were given in "spooning" days to the girl of his choice by the
lover. The handle is of course the appropriate field of decoration, the
double bowl being symbolic of "We two are one." The dated spoons were
mostly made in the middle of the eighteenth century.

Glass Curios.

Some of the most pleasing love tokens are those made at Nailsea in
Somerset, and in Sunderland. The commoner kinds, chiefly made at the
latter place, were known as sailors' love tokens. They took the form of
rolling-pins, which were evidently intended for ornament and not for
use. A bow of ribbon was tied round the end of the pin by which the
roller could be hung up. These glass rolling-pins were covered over with
sentimental mottoes, generally accompanied by a ship, a typical feature
of the decorations commonly used. Some of these little mementoes given
away by sailors were of white semi-opaque glass, others were brilliantly
coloured.

Nailsea glass works were noted for the Italian influence shown in the
colour effects produced in them. Among other objects made at those
famous glass works were flasks and bottles for wines and spirits in
greens, browns, and blues, to which were added in smaller quantities red
and yellow. Other trinkets of an ornamental character were glass tobacco
pipes, bells, and coach horns. There were also Nailsea walking sticks
made of twisted glass, and many curious cups. Most of these were given
for luck, especially as love tokens when sailors were about to set out
on a voyage, the superstition attached to the gift being that if the
glass pin were broken it was a sign that the vessel in which the
giver had sailed had been wrecked. Hence it was that a ribbon was
securely attached, and the gift hung up out of harm's reach.

[Illustration: FIG. 85.--OLD WELSH LOVE SPOONS.

(_In the National Museum of Wales._)]

In association with glass rolling-pins and other love tokens there are
many sundry curios which from the mottoes upon them were evidently given
with a similar purpose. Even objects of metal and brass were frequently
inscribed with loving reminders of the donor. The pleasing little
trinket and patch boxes of enamels and glass, ref