Silver baby spoons date back at least to the 16th century, when it became customary for well-heeled Europeans to present them as newborn or christening gifts. As it turns out, the trinkets were as practical as they were posh. The metal has natural antibacterial properties—a good thing to be born with in one's mouth, and the reason silver-tipped chopsticks started appearing in Asia as far back as the Middle Ages. Now more affordable than ever, small silver spoons, especially when chilled, are perhaps most cherished for their ability to soothe sore gums during teething. Often considered family heirlooms, these tiny treasures needn't be locked away; they'll only become more beautiful with age.
From left:
Beaded Baby Feeder$40, Lunt Silversmiths
Paloma's Baby Feeding Spoon$95, Paloma Picasso for Tiffany & Co.
Bent Handle Spoon$64, Elegant Baby
Heart & Cloud Spoon$135 (as part of a set with a baby fork), Agatha Ruize de la Prada for Cunill Barcelona, Lunt Silversmiths
Antique Tiffany & Co. Little Bo Peep Spoon (ca. 1890)$595 (as part of a four-piece set), Lauren Stanley Gallery
Isamu Noguchi Teaspoon$80, Vitra, Accurato.com
Acorn Curved Handle Spoon$250, Georg Jensen
Tiffany Tots Piggy Spoon$100, Tiffany & Co.
Ancestry Bent Baby Spoon$62, Salisbury, BabyGiftUsa.com
