Spoon size guide (UK vintage cutlery sizings)
Salt/Jam spoon (Small) - 5cm - 9cm in length
Egg spoon - up to 9cm in length
Coffee spoon - up to 12cm in length
Teaspoon - up to 14cm in length
Fruit spoon (round bowl) - approx 14cm in length
Soup spoon (round bowl) - approx 18cm in length
Dessert spoon - approx 19cm in length
Tablespoon - approx 21cm in length
Serving spoon (Oval or round bowl) - up to 25cm in length

Important ordering, processing, shipping and VAT information for customers:-

***As of the 1st July 2021 any items sent to anywhere in the EU will also now automatically have a VAT amount added at the point of sale. This is something that Etsy will automatically apply to your invoice and will show in a separate line as 'TAX'. This is a new rule that has come into force from 1st July 2021. This is a fee that will go directly to Customs and I do not have any control over the amount that is charged***

*France - shipping timescales to France has been quite slow over the last few months due to Covid/lockdowns. If you have a required delivery date, please bare this in mind. Deliveries have taken anywhere from 7 working days to 14 working days (on par with USA) so very slow to how timescales should be. I'm keeping an eye on the situation and may have to introduce shipping as fully tracked only if it continues to be slow.*

**USA - Chicago, There have been a few occasions recently in which orders reached USA and then have sat in Chicago for anything up to 14 days. Nobody can give a clear explanation as to why there is such an issue with this one particular sorting area. There were previous issues with Chicago last year, particularly leading up to Christmas. Unfortunately there is no control over where an item is sent once it arrives in USA from the UK, sorting offices didn't have a direct link of being nearby it's final destination. It normally takes between 2 and 4 working days to travel from the UK to USA...the rest of the time is then spent within the USPS system.

What is the difference between a processing time and a delivery time?

The processing time is the time it takes me to stamp or make the piece and get it ready for packaging. I currently have this set at 3-5 working days. I try to complete orders before this timescale but sometimes due to the sheer amount of orders which arrive each day it can be the full 5 working days.

The delivery time - Etsy applies an estimate delivery timescale to orders. This is fine in 'normal' periods but can be unrealistic in times such as Christmas and does not take into account any external circumstances such as Covid-19 procedures for individual countries/lockdowns or any delays with customs.

Please feel free to contact me if you need any advice about timescales and whether an order can be completed and shipped in time. Once an item leaves me I do not have any control over it.

Customs and import taxes
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. I'm not responsible for delays due to customs.

Most common questions:-

1. Are the pieces vintage?
Yes, each spoon, fork, knife is vintage. Some pieces are well over 100 yrs old. They may have some age related marks but I try to ensure that each piece is of high a quality as possible.

2. Can the pieces be used everyday?
Yes, they are designed to be used everyday. I have quite a few pieces which I have hand stamped in my personal collection which I use each day, a favourite spoon for yogurt, another which is gives me just the right amount of coffee. There are some which I have as a comfort pudding spoon and another which is perfect for soups and curries. My children also have their own designs and quotes.

3. Are the pieces 'Food safe?'
Yes, they are completely food safe. I have developed a unique process which ensures that each piece is completely safe to be used with food.

4. Can they be used in a dishwasher?
No, they are not designed to be used in a dishwasher. The pieces are vintage EPNS and the salts and high temperature are too wearing on the piece. This applies to any vintage flatware, not just the hand stamped variety. They can be hand washed in normal washing up liquid, warm water and a sponge.

5. Do you supply a care sheet with the piece?
Yes, in each order you will find a care sheet supplied. This will give you information about vintage flatware and how to care for it.

6. Are the plant markers safe to use in the garden?
Yes, they re completely safe to use in the garden and I will also enclose a care sheet which will give some further information about how certain metals can also help the soil.

7. Can I choose the spoon before you stamp it?
Unfortunately due to the sheer amount of orders which come in each day it is impossible to do this. It would push my processing time out and cause delays in sending orders. As the pieces are vintage I never really know which styles I will have in stock at any one time. I have an antiques dealer who is lovely and helps me to source some beautiful pieces but this can depend on him attending the larger antique markets in London. During times when the markets haven't ran (due to covid and lockdowns etc) I will also source online from other antique dealers. Again, sometimes I can source whole sets of pieces but sometimes they will be single or pairs. I will try to match the spoon to the wording being stamped. I also try to build up pieces which might have initials on the handles which are ideal for personalised pieces. I try to have a variety of styles in stock. It is worth contacting me in advance if you are searching for something special as I can try and get these sourced through my antique contacts.

8. Can I order a size that you don't have listed?
Yes, definitely. I have a huge range of sized spoons from very tiny salt spoons (approx 5cm in length) through to large serving spoons of over 22cm in length.

9. Do you stamp on other items of flatware?
Yes, I can stamp on most items as long as they are EPNS. This usually covers vintage forks (cake, starter and dinner sized) fish knives, butter knives and cake slices. There are some knives which I can't stamp onto. This is due to the actual blade being made of Stainless steel which then fit into a hollow EPNS handle.

10. Do you stamp onto Stainless Steel?
No, I find that the stamp mark does not work well on stainless steel. you have to strike the stamp much harder to get a mark (using a 1kg hammer) and more often than not you have to go over the stamp to get the full imprint of the letter or shape. The imprint is not as deep as that on EPNS.

11. How many words can I fit onto a spoon?
This can be a tricky one as it will depend on the size of the spoon and the design style that you choose. Each typical letter stamp is 3mm and an average teaspoon width is approx 2.5cm. I can fit the most wording onto a spoon using the 'swirl' technique as this uses the maximum amount of space on the spoon bowl.
Please, please be realistic about how many words I can fit onto the spoon. The section for adding the wording required when ordering is set to the maximum amount of wording that ETSY will allow. This doesn't mean that I will be able to fit it all onto a teaspoon! If you are unsure, please contact me and I will be able to advise which sized spoon will be most suited to the wording and design style. I do have smaller letter stamps (2mm) which I use on the handles of pieces but these work best in Upper Case letters.

12. Do you have design stamps to add with the wording?
Yes, I have a growing collection of design stamps, some are 3mm but a lot are 6mm in size. Please note, in order to get the best imprint I use a heavier hammer (the bigger the stamp, the heavier you need to strike it) When adding underneath the wording you will generally have the curve of the spoon, the smaller the spoon, themes area to work with and it will typically be the deepest area of the spoon bowl.

13. Can you stamp onto the handle of the piece?
Yes, as long as there is space and it has a flat surface I should be able to stamp onto it. You will just need to bear in mind if there is any decoration that it may be difficult to then add lettering over the top.

14. Will any pricing be shown in any paperwork that is supplied with my order?
If you choose 'Gift message' then you can personalise a message which will be included with the order. A standard customer order will show the item ordered, which size, pattern and personalisation message. It will also show your order ref number and address details and how it was paid (Etsy payments fro example) There is no pricing information shown in either the gift message option or standard customer order sheet. The pricing information is only shown on my copy which I use for postage and for my records.

15. I've seen a charm style which I like but it doesn't have my semi-precious stone choice, can you make a charm with my personal preference?
Yes, that should be no problem. Simply drop me a convo message and I can set up a custom listing from that area.

16. Do you offer any discount for wholesale or larger amounts ordered?
Yes, simply drop me a convo and I will get back to you as soon as I can. I have supplied a number of shops and completed large orders for customers both in the UK and worldwide.

17. Can you make a custom dog tag from a spoon?
Yes, this is something I can do and it's it made from a flattened spoon bowl (flattened using a special 2 tonne press) and the handle is sawn off. The end of the spoon bowl is gently filed to ensure there are no rough edges. Wording is hand stamped and then a hole is drilled to allow the split ring to go through. The lettering is darkened using the same unique process as the spoons and forks etc. The lettering will not come off and will remain regardless of how many muddy puddles or streams it goes through.

18. Will my vintage spoon/fork etc tarnish over time?
Yes, if left in the open air and not used daily it will start to darken. This is due to the piece having a layer of silver applied to it's surface. If you have ever worn St Silver jewellery and forget to put it away or wear it for a long period of time you will notice that it will start to darken. If you have ever lost an item of jewellery, only to discover it months later you will see that the finish will start to look dull. This is due to the item being left in the atmosphere and it reacting over time. Jewellers would advise that Sterling Silver be wrapped in acid free tissue paper to help keep it at it's best when not worn. I use a white acid free tissue paper to wrap the vintage flatware, it will not react with the piece and will keep it at it's best for as long as possible. If you are using a vintage piece then you should find that it should not tarnish and will remain fine. If it does however start to darken if not in use, the simplest way is to remove the tarnish with a 0000 grade steel wool. I imagine when you think of steel wool you imagine it to be harsh but a 0000 grade is the finest grade you can get and really works magic on the piece without damaging it. It's like a magic rubber for tarnish! You don't need to rub hard, it's a gentle up and down motion, following the curve of the piece. I enclose a care sheet which mentions how to use the 0000 steel wool.
*Do not use a chemical Silver dip on the vintage pieces, it's far too harsh.

19. Postal queries - If any order sent is returned back to me, a further postal fee charge will need to be made to send it back to you again. This applies to all customers, both UK and International. International custom orders are sent fully tracked and will show the history of the delivery being attempted. Customers need to ensure that they have added the correct address details into the order as my Mail account is directly linked to my shop and the address information will already be on the mail order before I add the weight/custom information.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any queries at any time and I will get back to you as soon as possible.