Spoonful of love on saint's day

Siôn Llewellyn has been carving lovespoons for more than 30 years

An intricately carved love spoon estimated to be worth £1,000 has been donated to a history museum in Cardiff.

Siôn Llewellyn carved the spoon for St Fagans National History Museum to coincide with St Dwynwen's day, the Welsh patron saint of lovers.

Mr Llewellyn, 49, from Bridgend, has been making love spoons since he was 12 and exports them around the world.

The museum already has a collection of spoons and is holding an exhibition of the history of them.

Around 40 original buildings from different historical periods from across Wales have been moved brick by brick to be re-erected at the museum which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2008.

The re-erected buildings include houses, a farm, a school, a chapel and a Workmen's Institute.

The custom of carving and giving Welsh love spoons dates back to the 17th Century.

Originally they were made by young men as a token of their love and affection for their girlfriends.

Carving

Mr Llewellyn said he started making them after his sister received one from her then boyfriend.

Using an old orange box and a penknife, he carved his first spoon and gave it to his mother.

"I originally carved them as a hobby and then about 10 years ago I was made redundant and decided to make them full-time," he added.

"People from around the world order them. I've carved spoons for people in Australia, the US and Germany. I'm carving one now for a wedding in Australia of two ex-pats."

Mr Llewellyn said prices varied.

"They start at about £5 for a wedding love spoon and go up to £70, but they can sell for between £600 and £1,000."

The love spoon presented to St Fagans reflects Mr Llewellyn's cabinet-making background.

The top of the spoon is carved in the style of a Welsh dresser, and there are a wide variety of symbols including diamonds, to signify wealth and luck, and the Welsh dragon representing protection.