Set of French Silver-Plated Ladles and Serving Spoons

A collection of seven silver-plated ladles and serving spoons, gathered one by one by Patricia and Walter Wells from brocantes and flea markets across France — and used at their Paris table for decades. The three round-bowled ladles are the most substantial, their flat fiddle-shaped handles engraved with monograms and their bowls worn to a warm, honeyed gold. The four smaller serving spoons offer more decorative variety: scalloped and shell-shaped bowls, handles chased with scrollwork and floral detail, one with a beaded edge. The silver plating has mellowed beautifully across the group, catching light differently on each piece — some bright, some softly burnished. Arrange this lovely collection in a tall glass on a kitchen shelf or gathered in a ceramic bowl, they compose themselves. Use them too: a mismatched ladle at a dinner table is far more interesting than a matching one.