Rice Spoon | Carved Wooden Serving Spoon from Java
This antique rice spoon from Java, Indonesia, was traditionally used to serve rice in shared meals. Its elongated, curved shape and wide basin speak to functionality—yet its handle elevates it into the realm of sculpture. Designed to stand upright, the spoon’s handle references the Wayang puppets of Javanese shadow theater, a cultural tradition rich in myth, imagination, and storytelling.
Wayang or Wajang, meaning "shadow" or "imagination," is more than entertainment—it’s a sacred performance of ancestral tales, epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, and legends passed down through generations. That same symbolism now lives quietly in this object, linking food and myth, daily life and ceremony.
Time has left its mark: the wood is smoothed from touch, and surface scratches tell of many years in use. But its form endures—graceful, symbolic, and grounded.
Today, the Rice Spoon serves a new purpose. It can be placed on a console, used in an altar arrangement, or featured in a culinary vignette. Whether styled with herbs, flowers, or simply on its own, it invites curiosity and honors the layered beauty of tradition.
This antique rice spoon from Java, Indonesia, was traditionally used to serve rice in shared meals. Its elongated, curved shape and wide basin speak to functionality—yet its handle elevates it into the realm of sculpture. Designed to stand upright, the spoon’s handle references the Wayang puppets of Javanese shadow theater, a cultural tradition rich in myth, imagination, and storytelling.
Wayang or Wajang, meaning "shadow" or "imagination," is more than entertainment—it’s a sacred performance of ancestral tales, epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, and legends passed down through generations. That same symbolism now lives quietly in this object, linking food and myth, daily life and ceremony.
Time has left its mark: the wood is smoothed from touch, and surface scratches tell of many years in use. But its form endures—graceful, symbolic, and grounded.
Today, the Rice Spoon serves a new purpose. It can be placed on a console, used in an altar arrangement, or featured in a culinary vignette. Whether styled with herbs, flowers, or simply on its own, it invites curiosity and honors the layered beauty of tradition.
This antique rice spoon from Java, Indonesia, was traditionally used to serve rice in shared meals. Its elongated, curved shape and wide basin speak to functionality—yet its handle elevates it into the realm of sculpture. Designed to stand upright, the spoon’s handle references the Wayang puppets of Javanese shadow theater, a cultural tradition rich in myth, imagination, and storytelling.
Wayang or Wajang, meaning "shadow" or "imagination," is more than entertainment—it’s a sacred performance of ancestral tales, epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, and legends passed down through generations. That same symbolism now lives quietly in this object, linking food and myth, daily life and ceremony.
Time has left its mark: the wood is smoothed from touch, and surface scratches tell of many years in use. But its form endures—graceful, symbolic, and grounded.
Today, the Rice Spoon serves a new purpose. It can be placed on a console, used in an altar arrangement, or featured in a culinary vignette. Whether styled with herbs, flowers, or simply on its own, it invites curiosity and honors the layered beauty of tradition.
Date: Unknown
Origin: Java, Indonesia
Material: Hand-carved Wood
Condition: Shows many signs of tears and use especially on the above and under spoon part of the object. It has many small marks/scratches.
Dimension: W 10,5 x L 43 cm
Care: Clean regularly with a natural product designed for wood like natural wax. This piece has been treated and waxed and therefore it should not be used for cooking or eating purposes.