Sterling Silver Demitasse Souvenir Spoon Salem 1692 with a Witch and Arched-back Cat. Part of a large collection of souvenir spoons inherited from my grandfather, through my mother, which I have only recently begun to deal with. Stamped “Daniel Low”, “Sterling”, with Gorham marks between. Weight: 0.5 ounces Length: Aprox. 4.25 inches No Monogram on Handle or spoon “Salem 1692″ on front of spoon with a witch and black cat on the handle. Excellent condition, with all detail, no bends, dings or chips. Beyond its significance within local Salem history, this spoon is also typically regarded as the first design to spark the souvenir spoon craze in the United States. Following Low’s initial witch design, American manufacturers began producing dozens of collectible spoons that quickly became an extremely popular tourist keepsake across the U. The first spoon design was commissioned by Low in 1890 following a trip abroad. As the story goes, the idea to produce the souvenir spoons originated from the observation of the burgeoning trade of commemorative silver spoons within the European tourist market. Upon returning home, Low commissioned Ww. To design a singular souvenir spoon. These spoons are decorated with a simple interpretation of the now stereotypical witch astride a broomstick, alongside the word Salem. With the massive success of the first spoon’s design, Low went on to commission Gorham Silver to create a second, more ornate design the following year. This succeeding pattern consists of a more substantial, intricate design, as it depicts a black cat with an arched back, a rope, a broomstick, the addition of both the place and date of the witch trials, and the witch flying aside a half moon. This design was an instant success and considerably overshadowed the simplistic first pattern.