I was going to pass this up, like I had passed several other spoons up in the past, but the detail on the handle caught my eye and I had to have it. [As always, you can click any picture to see a larger version.]
You see that very small little thing to the left of Old Main? That is why I had to have it. That is the Knox College Observatory! It was finished in 1889, and I have not been able to find out when it was torn down, but I know it was standing in the 1950’s at least. That is a HUGE range of dates this little guy can be from, so more research is in order.
Look at the detail in this spoon. You can see the windows in Old Main and in the Observatory.
There are hallmarks on the back, but I have not researched them yet.
I may have to get a better magnifier to see them. The left one says “CND” and then a black bird or black diamond and then a very clear bird on the right.
<edit> With a better magnifier, it says “CMR” which leads to the company founded by CHAS M. ROBBINS – Attleboro, MA. It was founded in 1892 by Charles M. Robbins. In 1912 Robbins Company was formed and in 1963 became a subsidiary of Continental Communications Corporation. Since it has the CMR the spoon could be anywhere from 1892 to 1963. In 1912 it is possible the hallmarks changed, so I will be wider rather than narrower in the the dating right now.
The observatory’s telescope still has a home in the Physics Department at Knox, and from recent reports is being repurposed and reused for night-time viewing. That is very cool.
This is a early, turn of the century (1920’s?) picture of the campus with the street still in bricks. You can see Alumni Hall, Old Main and the Observatory tucked away on the left.
This 1952 wire photo still has the Observatory in the background, and Seymour Hall on the right. The demolition of the Observatory was not that long ago, relatively. According to Knox, it was demolished around the time CFA was built because it ruined the view of Old Main.
The spoon is not in perfect shape. There is pitting and scratches in the bowl, but the detail in the handle makes I a fabulous piece of memorabilia. That the creator chose to put the Observatory into the detail makes the spoon all the more interesting.