Mongo Wood Spoon, Democratic Republic of Congo

Long and low, like a boat pulled up on the shore, with a notch at the end of the handle.

This spoon is Mongo, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is wood. Large wooden serving spoons are common throughout the Congo basin, and their hull-like shapes are carved from a single block. The bowl is long and broad, its interior a lighter gray-brown and its outside a darker tone. One end lifts slightly to a rounded point. A short flat handle projects from the other, finished with a cut notch at the tip. It is 25 inches wide, 9.6 deep and 3.5 high.

Possibly the most confident spoon in the room.