Set of silver spoons sells for £129k in Salisbury auction

This set of spoons is the "most important" part of the collection as they have Apostle figures on the top

A collection of silver spoons - believed to date from the 15th Century - has sold for £129,000 at auction.

The spoons are some of the "oldest known English silver spoons", the auction house Woolley and Wallis in Salisbury said.

The earliest spoon in the collection is from about 1400.

"They are usually popular with collectors, particularly the early spoons," said Clare Durham, from the auction house.

"There is a pair of spoons from 1490 which are the most important spoons in the collection," she added.

The earliest spoon in the collection is from about 1400

"They are Apostle spoons, which have a little figure of one of the Apostles on the top.

"They were often given as Christening presents, hence the phrase 'born with a silver spoon in your mouth'," Ms Durham added.

She said when these spoons were used, people would normally take them with them everywhere they went.

"These were the days before proper place settings at tables so you would turn up to a banquet with your own silver spoon," Ms Durham said.

"It was a mark of how important and wealthy you were."