Ok, yet another teaspoon but this one is a bit on the "special" side.
It is my Mum's (I hadn't even been born yet!) which her mother bought her because "the King was coming!"
Hail to the King! Apparently Australia was pretty damned excited about the visit.
The primary purpose of the visit was for The King to thank one of their "dominions" for their support during WWII
In 1949 all the planning was being prepared for the highly anticipated visit of King George VI and his wife Queen Elizabeth (The Queen Mother) - this teaspoon was one of the souvenir trinkets being offered at the time ... Mum says everyone was very excited and anticipating the visit, however ...
Here's the rub ... the visit never happened!
King George VI became ill and the visit to Australia was cancelled ... very sad for my Mum and what do you do with a teaspoon that is really a souvenir of "nothing" - what might have been. She put this away with all her other weird little bits and pieces but has now asked me (yes, she is STILL alive at 89) to find a new home for the teaspoon before she "passes to the other side"
That trip was never resurrected, another attempt was made in 1952 but again the trip was cancelled due to the King's ill health and the next monarch to visit her subjects in Australia was Queen Elizabeth II in 1953
SOUVENIR TEASPOON - In commemoration of the Royal Visit by King George VI and his wife, Queen Elizabeth (fondly referred to as the Queen Mother in later years)
Manufacturer is UNKNOWN (not marked - see below for the marking details)
Released for sale 1949
Material: EPNS (Silver Plated Nickel)
Head: Enamel NOT a glued-on piece of plastic!
NO case or box is supplied - see below for info about how it is now packaged
DIMENSIONS:
120mm length x 25mm width (widest point of the bowl)
STAMPINGS/DESIGN:
Head is Metallic Silver image of King George VI with his wife Queen Elizabeth set slightly behind the King
The King and Queen's crowns (they both are wearing a crown) is metallic Gold
Banner is set on an upwards curve, Dark Red/Burgundy background with Silver block text which reads:
AUSTRALIA 1949
On the underside of the spoon is stamped into the metal
E P N S (each letter within a small box)
and near the teaspoon bowl RG 703938
(this text is EXTREMELY small and difficult for me to read)
COSMETIC CONDITION:
NO physical damage to the teaspoon
CLEAN
A couple of very light (but observable wear marks inside the bowl and underneath the bowl)
The condition remains very good and after all, if you are like my Mum, it's what the teaspoon represents (of things that might have been) that is important
The original case has long since disappeared so I have now placed this into a nice thick sealed clear plastic packet to preserve the current condition
