The Five O'Clock Teaspoon

In 2009, Tiffany & Co. broke the hearts of many a blue box loyalist when it discontinued, seemingly overnight, much of its china and flatware.  Gone were the Audubon china pattern and the best dessert plate ever.

Gone, too, were Tiffany's 1960s-chic Bamboo flatware, its scalloped Wave Edge pattern designed in 1884, and its elaborate Olympian, whose every piece depicted a different scene from Greek mythology.  And with them vanished many of the more obscure pieces, like the five o'clock teaspoon.

So, I was surprised and thrilled (thrilled!) this weekend to see that Tiffany is again offering an "afternoon teaspoon" in several of its remaining silver patterns.  We Americans now get our caffeine fixes in 16, 20, and (shudder) 30-ounce paper buckets cups, but there was a time when we drank from delicate porcelain cups so thin that they were almost translucent.   A regular teaspoon would overpower such a cup, so a slightly smaller spoon was needed.

Generally speaking, a teaspoon is 6 inches long, give or take a quarter of an inch.  A five o'clock teaspoon is typically between 5 1/4 and 5 1/2 inches.  This may not seem like much of a difference until you see the two together.  For illustration, below are three Tiffany spoons: an 6 1/8-inch Olympian teaspoon, a 5 3/8-inch Faneuil five o'clock teaspoon, and a 4-inch Chrysanthemum demitasse spoon.

Here, the Olympian and Faneuil spoons are shown with a Belleek teacup produced between 1891 and 1926.  You can see that the Olympian looks much too big.

Now, if only Tiffany would bring back the berry spoon...

EDITED ON MONDAY, DEC. 12, 2012:

It seems I spoke too soon.  Tiffany has broken my heart once again.  Yesterday, I emailed the good people at the customer service department to find out the exact sizes of the Faneuil spoons listed as "afternoon teaspoon" and "coffee spoon" on their website.  The response was prompt, but disappointing.  Sadly, the afternoon teaspoon is a mere 4 1/2 inches long.  The coffee spoon is a teensy 4 inches.

What this tells me is that Tiffany is passing off an after-dinner coffee spoon as five o'clock teaspoon, and a demitasse spoon as a coffee spoon.  So much for buying shiny new five o'clock teaspoons in happy blue boxes!  Looks like I'll still be trawling eBay.  \sigh

Shopping for Antiques: Eloquence Inc.

Some people are lucky enough to inherit antiques from their families - good silver from Grandma, wing chairs from Uncle Fred's library, pearls from Aunt Ruth .  Sadly for me, my family never seemed interested in keeping "old" things around.  Maybe that's all part of that forward-looking California spirit.  For me, though, the charm of antiques is that they lived full lives in other people's households before they ever came to mine.

Fortunately, I don't need to rely on capricious relatives for great furniture.  For a town obsessed with the new and the young, Los Angeles has a surprising number of fabulous sources for antiques.  One of my favorites is Eloquence, Inc., which sells antique and reproduction pieces.  I bought these chairs, reupholstered in pale pink velvet, several years ago from the now-closed Shabby Chic in Newport Beach, but you can find similar ones through Vintage Weave near Third and Fairfax and Fringe in Redondo Beach.

Flea Market Finds: Opera Glasses

When I was in high school, my best friend and I were obsessed with the Scarlet Pimpernell, a Zorro-style tale set during the French Revolution.  Our favorite scene involved the Pimpernell, dressed as a vain and superficial fop, wielding a monocle while reciting his poem,

They seek him here,
They seek him there,
Those Frenchies seek him everywhere. 
Is he in Heaven,
Or is he in Hell?
That damned elusive Pimpernell!

I don't have the sartorial fortitude to wear a monocle around my neck anymore, but I don't have the same reservations about accessorizing my home with some dandyish details.  You can pick up vintageParisian mother-of-pearl opera glasses from eBay or flea markets for $50 - $100 (depending on condition).  If you're lucky, you can find them with handles or their original cases.      

Here are a couple of mine.  Although I don't get out to the opera much, I find them handy to peep on the squirrels in the tree by my balcony.

Flea Market Finds

On the third Sunday of any given month, you're likely to find me at the Long Beach Antique Market.  Although the die-hard (and flashlight-equipped) junkers rush the gates in the pre-dawn darkness, I prefer to wake up with some coffee before arriving at a more civilized hour. 

Even on the rare day when I come home empty handed, I still get great ideas from the vendors who set up their stalls so beautifully.  Here are some photos from previous visits.

 

Although there are plenty of bargains to be found, this little guy was priceless.

I'm always on the look-out for embroidered linens.  On my last trip, I was thrilled to find a pair of "crinoline lady" pillow cases.  The Merry Dog approves.

For the Long Beach Antique Market schedule and admission coupons, click here.