monkey spoons
Preserved but no longer current.
Spoons having on the handle a heart surmounted by a monkey, at one time given in Holland at marriages, christenings, and funerals. At weddings they were given to some immediate relative of the bride; at christenings and funerals to.* the cfficiating clergyman. Among the Dutch, drinking is called "sucking the monkey," be- eanse the early morning appetizer of rum and salt was taken in a monkey spoon.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “monkey spoons” mean?
Spoons having on the handle a heart surmounted by a monkey, at one time given in Holland at marriages, christenings, and funerals. At weddings they were given to some immediate relative of the bride; at christenings and funerals to.* the cfficiating clergyman. Among the Dutch, drinking is called "sucking the monkey," be- eanse the early morning appetizer of rum and salt was taken in a monkey spoon.
Is “monkey spoons” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.