ww2 mess spoon

[nicolas75]

Hello

 

Is this a, sure ww2, mess spoon ?

 

Thanks

[Edelweisse]

Is this “US NAVY”.....? Please show the entire spoon.

[12thengr]

Mess hall spoon, not mess kit. US Navy spoons are marked 'USN'.

[nicolas75]

Thanks

[S.ChrisKelly]

Not that this helps much...  The spoon in post#1 is a mess hall spoon, not a mess kit spoon. It's a U.S. Army spoon.

 

Likely, it's stainless steel and potentially from an officers' mess.  I know SILCO was in business before the Second World War, and all the genuine mess hall cutlery/flatware is standardized...  Looks like the Utica Cutlery Company's "Modernaire" pattern.

 

My best guess is that it's anytime, 1940 - 1965.  The key is the hallmark on the back, and I have no idea when the different hallmarks were used.

 

Below is a listing from an auction website.  The images illustrate these SILCO hallmarks.

 

Source, first three images:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/175725943123?hash=item28ea151953:g:3V4AAOSwGl9kRA3-&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4CwqZeupjIS%2BfWicnMHQ5PvzYTDw3vUcgPSpWkiTRdtb9sq4LBUPY%2FQYm%2F0%2FVY4zMSVQTDbTN8gpQDsd7njTcUQ5JwHbXQCvOw2dM1oaKzdk5z7o6qfCHTRS3vsMVxeLPPxCz4cZ8Yw1pGz5qRp%2FPG4liQJ%2BUNEw6REWzWizY4xOISSXTxKttgK6HBbFrNIPLkZZATIEHD2DkJTQl80BAnd%2BCD60q67BWosGibENKhqCh53hojWtXmCjcG%2F5jC40OrcPFfmtn1eMpGmPpqzJNYfsy%2B0nJKoxyBpAcRUD9NYo|tkp%3ABk9SR6K88ZODYg

 

Source, last two images:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/256010449465?hash=item3b9b697239:g:FIQAAOSwv5dkEMUg&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAAwD5LyE2JA4%2BYcY1xfT9wOp0BjAHeXoRwvMIocvieNAwuFkFQ8O%2FjCHCUC9rNvQSnKI3ywJzl6ZN8SU330Zb6ZvXSQzkW5Ot%2FJRfjghmZO83ViTj6NvlSgnsKHTr0pJ3kVBh5OiinrsZJAVvQRM6mpC0C27VbMxFi0PBqxzmQ%2F1i2NSSMdmJOGi22XfT00PBtuq%2Fvuk1rUK3ILjZ%2BeiCFsDuk4tDQylXhQZpKpq3DL6H1TdyMG%2FrQrEm7q65ywvKfrw%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR9TI0ZODYg

 

 

 

 

 

 

[S.ChrisKelly]

Just for reference, this is what the World War Two mess kit and cutlery looks like.  The third image is a close-up of the hallmark on the reverse of the mess tin ("U.S.   E.A. CO. 1945"), and the fourth image is a close-up of the hallmark on the knife handle ("L.F.&C. 1945).  Forks and spoons, from mess hall and mess kit sets, generally were not marked with a manufacture date.  

 

In spite of the misleading web-site name, this was sold as a genuine 1945-dated/issued set.

 

Source:

https://majormikesmilitarysurplus.com/products/copy-of-vintage-1944-wwii-u-s-military-mess-kit-complete-with-1-fork-1-spoon-1-knife

 

[DerekThunder]

I don't know if anyone is still checking this thread, but I was beach combing at a place called Hvammsvik in Iceland.  The resort there was a site for allied naval operations during WW2 and I literally found this on the shore there.  I will add a pic tomorrow of the back but Modernaire is stamped on the back.  It seems likely that this was a mess hall spoon for the USMC stationed there?  There's clearly some wearing from years of being pushed around the shore by the tides.  Any thoughts on authenticity?  Thanks.  

e.  

[Rhscott]

7 hours ago, DerekThunder said:

I don't know if anyone is still checking this thread, but I was beach combing at a place called Hvammsvik in Iceland.  The resort there was a site for allied naval operations during WW2 and I literally found this on the shore there.  I will add a pic tomorrow of the back but Modernaire is stamped on the back.  It seems likely that this was a mess hall spoon for the USMC stationed there?  There's clearly some wearing from years of being pushed around the shore by the tides.  Any thoughts on authenticity?  Thanks.  

e.  

Yep, Marines were there from 1941-42 then redeployed to the Pacific.

see link

Marines In Iceland WW2

[DerekThunder]

Thank you, Rhscott. This is great additional information to tell the tale of this particular spoon. It was such a fun and satisfying find.  

 

I appreciate you taking the time to send this.  

 

DT