View source for CATALINA SOUVENIR SPOONS: CHARLES M. ROBBINS CO., ATTLEBORO, MA


[[File:CMR maker.png|350px|thumbnail|right|<center>Charles M. Robbins maker's mark </center>]]
[[File:Robbins salt.png|350px|thumbnail|right|<center>Robbins salt spoon </center>]]
[[File:SCIF Robbins demi.png|350px|thumbnail|right|<center> CATALINA ISLE [stem]<br>Pierced handle: 1 pier; Metropole; Sugar Loaf<br> plain bowl <br>plain reverse <br> <br> Charles M. Robbins <br> 3-¼"<br>[original in SCIF archives] </center>]]


[[File:C.M. Robbins.png|250px|thumbnail|right|<center>Old Ben, Sugar Loaf, Tuna [above]<br> Casino, Glass Bottom Boat, Flying Fish [underside] <br> Charles M. Robbins <br> 4-¼"<br>[original in SCIF archives] </center>]]

'''CATALINA SOUVENIR SPOONS: CHARLES M. ROBBINS CO., ATTLEBORO, MA'''

The C.M. Robbins Co. of Attleboro, MA (1892 – present) was one of the more prolific producers of Catalina souvenir spoons, including both teaspoon and demitasse sizes.  Charles May Robbins (1856-1929) founded the Chas M. Robbins Company in 1892 and ran it for the next 18 years. Having become wealthy, he retired from it in 1910. In 1912 the company renamed itself to Robbins Company.  The company grew to become a dynamic force in the jewelry manufacturing business, earning a unique place in history as a manufacturer of military badges, Olympic medals and NASA medallions to name a few.


Charles May Robbins (1856-1929) = [1885] Lucy B. Pratt (1854-    )
: 1. Lawrence Brigham Robbins (1886-1953?) [born in NY]
: 2. Chester May Robbins (1895-1973) [born in MA] = Ruth Johnson


C. M. Robbins died on September 13, 1929 in Attleboro, Massachusetts at age 73. He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Attleboro, MA. 


According to Santa Catalina Island souvenir spoon expert, Dr. Harry V. Merrick:  “All of Robbins’ Catalina spoons are, in a sense, specialty spoons created especially for the Catalina tourist trade, as all prominently display captions containing “Catalina” (either “Catalina Island” or more frequently “Catalina Isle” on their stems, even those spoons displaying general non-Catalina themes, like fruit and flowers, and California landmarks and attractions.  Robbins updated their spoon designs relatively frequently to reflect the changing landscape and tourist attractions at Catalina.  Besides producing sterling spoons they also produced “pearl silver” (nickel silver or silver plated) souvenir spoons.  Although Robbins produced one embossed bowl design with a ca. 1910-1915 Avalon Bay scene, it appears very infrequently.  Moreover, Robbins did not apply it to a wide variety of spoon designs as was the practice of most other prominent Catalina spoon manufacturers producing Catalina scene embossed bowls.   Most of Robbins’ Catalina demitasse spoons are simply miniature versions of their teaspoon designs.”

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[[File:Robbins pre 1929 ladle.png|350px|thumbnail|left|<center>Robbins ladle </center>]]