We bought it in a charity shop or at an antique stall a long time ago. Why did we buy it? Because we didn’t know what it was and we like curious things. We saw another one in an antique shop earlier this year and were told what it was (though given inaccurate detail as to how to use it).
This photo shows its size compared to that of a teaspoon. (The initials on the teaspoon are AY, for Anne Young, the maiden name of my Great-great-grandmother.)
The answer is in the first comment.
It is a child’s pusher. Children’s spoons and pushers were designed to help the child learn to use their first cutlery in safety and were often given as Christening presents in days gone by. The spoon and pusher are held in each fist. The pusher is used to ‘push’ food onto the spoon. (Not, as the antique dealer suggested to us, to push the food down the mouth!!!)
ReplyDeleteThats what it is. Very good for pushing food you don't like around the plate and onto the floor.
ReplyDeleteThis, i guess, is why it's not manners to use a knife or anything else as a pusher when you are a grown up. You used a pusher as a child, but were supposed to outgrow it as your skill at feeding yourself increased!
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not, I knew what it is, because one set like this exists in my family, too, and my parents explained to me how it was used by little children to teach them the use of cutlery.
ReplyDeleteLOL - another fascinating post. Thanks, Scriptor!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool item. Would never have guessed.
ReplyDeleteWe had one at home when I was young and, presumably when you were young too. I'm pretty sure it was chrome not silver and I think there was a matching 'thingy' that looked like a slightly bent fish knife. I assume that it never made its way to yours and it didn't come to me either. Odd.
ReplyDeleteThat reminds me. Do you have the butter curler?
DeleteNo. I remember it though: it was aluminium or aluminium coloured metal.
DeleteI thought it was something a dentist might have used. But I can now see that it is a child's pusher.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was an orginal spoon melted down for drug use :(
ReplyDeleteI have a spoon and pusher from when I was a baby. I'm keeping it in case I need it for for my dotage.
ReplyDelete