Odd brass London spoon

This has been knocking around in my cutlery drawer for ages, think I got it from a jumble. It’s 6 inches long, the spoon bowl is 3 quarters of an inch wide. I’ve shown it with a modern teaspoon for scale. I think it’s odd because the decoration is on the underside, it looks too big for snuff but too small for eating with. Anyone have any idea about age or use please?
Thanks.

 

Calling All 'Spoonies' ! (or Spoolies like Joolies ?)

 

Well it's the right size and shape for a baby's feeding spoon, but why the decoration on the underside?

 

Hypothesis 1) The designer of the ornamentation did not KNOW that he should decorate the top...

Or, 2) The markings on the bottom side keep the spoon from slipping while feeding little Georgie!

 

I've heard that at one time, it was proper etiquette for spoons to be laid out bowl-downwards.

 

Also forks, and in some places (Very prominent ones too), they still are.

 

The Grandparents used to set the Thanksgiving silver face down.

 

I love this one Any idea how old they are ?

 

@DragonflyWink
Any thoughts please?
Would this one be called a dog nose spoon?

 

Finally had a few minutes to run through the spoon books I have handy, but they weren't helpful since this is a very odd spoon - believe it's likely a late 17th-early 18th century latten or brass spoon, would have originally been tinned. A dognose terminal would be wavy, this is an unusual trefid/trifid spoon, and while I've seen somewhat similar terminals, the notched sides of the stem are not anything I'd expect, might even have been done later (and if silver, would have a nice long rat-tail). Similar stamped decoration is seen on base metal spoons of the period, it's around the typical size, but the bowl should be much larger, making it proportionally more normal, and would think it was probably modified at some point due to wear and/or damage - not particularly uncommon for the back to have the decoration, as already suggested, would have been placed with bowl face down.

That's all I've got...

~Cheryl

 

Thank you for looking in your books Cheryl.
The bowl does look small, it’s been damaged a bit at the end but could easily be made good. Its a sweet little thing.