Mongo Wood Spoon, Democratic Republic of Congo

A long wooden bowl with a handle, shaped like a small dark canoe that paddles itself.

This spoon is Mongo, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century, in wood. Wooden ladles and spoons across Central Africa are made for serving and for household use, and the best are often shaped with great care. The bowl is a deep, pointed oval, with a notch cut into the leading edge. A short, flat handle extends from the opposite end, pierced with a small hole near the tip. The wood is a dark, glossy brown, polished smooth inside and slightly tool-marked outside. It is 6.25 inches wide and 15.25 high.

Serious about soup, and elegant about it.