spoon, 1679-1680
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1679-1680
This is an example of a type of spoon described as a 'trefid' pattern, so-called after the way the end of the stem is split into three sections. The design is completely different to that of earlier spoons made in England, and is almost certainly inspired by contemporary examples from the Continent, particularly France. Goldsmiths' Company court minutes from the 1660s refer to 'French fashion spoons', which probably looked similar to this one. This new fashion meant the finial of the spoon was designed so that the spoon could be placed on the table with its open bowl down (the opposite of how it would be placed on the table today). The stamped decoration on the finial and bowl is achieved by hammering the spoon into a die in which the decoration has been cut. Spoons of this form decorated in this way are known as 'lace back' trefids, and they are perhaps the commonest and best-known type of decorated trefid.
silver, trefid end with a rat tail and lace (or fancy) back, the finial also decorated.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Dimensions
- Length: 20.5 cm; Weight: 58.5 g
- Materials and techniques
- silver, forged
Technical characteristics
- Place recorded
- London
Design
- Marks and inscriptions
- Punched on the back of the stem, L to R from the bowl: maker's mark, initials 'IT' over a ?star, in a shaped punch; Leopard's head crowned, mark of the London assay office; lion passant, mark for sterling silver standard; gothic letter 'b' in a shaped punch, for assay year 1679-1680.; Pricked on the finial, on the front of the spoon (ie. not on the same side as the hallmarks): the initials 'R D' with a fleur-de-lys motif below.
Identification
- Candidate id
- vam-O296912
- Museum object number
- 1986-1898
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked single-object source. Wider type attribution and authenticity have not been independently verified.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type and source attribution against specialist references.