West of England Antique Dealers' Association

The study of early English silver spoons, focuses on a period of some 400 years, from the beginning of hallmarking in the early 14th century until the introduction of the flatware service in the early 18th century. Spoons are unique in that examples of hallmarks can be found without a break in continuity for that whole period, whereas other domestic silver was consigned to the melting pot when funds were required. The reason for this is that spoons were traditionally given as christening gifts (as they still are today) and the sentimental attachment was further reinforced when they were passed from generation to generation as heirlooms. Spoons were often made for local sale, and the provincial marks they bear often add to the charm and interest of the piece.

Learning how to assess an early spoon can take many years of experience. As with all antique silver, condition is extremely important; it should be as near mint condition as possible and yet should show signs of use consistent with its age. This can be broken down into the following:

• The patina on silver is a combination of all the little nicks and scratches on the surface of the metal, and the results of acclimatisation of the metal to the atmosphere. The net result is that the metal acquires a ’skin’ which looks silky and at the same time resists tarnishing, unlike new silver which will immediately show fingermarks if handled and which will tarnish overnight.
• Any hallmarks, whether in the bowl or on the stem (handle) of the spoon, should be clearly legible.
• On spoons with cast finials (such as seal tops, apostles, etc.), the finials would originally have been gilt. This was done not only for its decorative effect, but also to disguise the fact that the castings were often well below standard and were consequently grayer in colour. This gilding should remain over most of the surface of the finial except the most vulnerable prominent points.
• There is often die-struck decoration to the bowl back and stem on trefid spoons (known as laceback trefids). Occasionally, engraved decoration will be found on the stems and bowls of West Country seal top and apostle spoons (notably Barnstaple), and of a different type on the handles of some later London trefids. Any contemporary decoration should be crisp and clear.

In an ideal world, these points would suffice. However, there are many pitfalls, some of which are a result of fair wear and tear, and others which are the result of attempts at improvements or restoration:
- The bowls of spoons will often have become extremely worn by years of use. This not only makes the spoon unpleasant to use, but also drastically affects the value. Reworking of bowls to draw the metal back to the worn areas can destroy the shape of the bowl, ruin the patination and distort any hallmark in the bowl. It will also reduce the gauge of metal in the bowl, so weakening it. Sometimes minor wear will be dealt with by filing across the bowl tip, so shortening the bowl and again spoiling the shape.
- English spoons were always wrought in one piece, so there should be no soldered joints except where a cast finial has been applied to the stem. The joints used for finials are quite distinctive: on London spoons a V-shaped joint will be seen below the finial, and on provincial spoons a ‘lap’ or stepped joint was used. Any other visible solder joint is a repair, and this will considerably affect the desirability of the spoon.
- Over the years spoon may have changed hands many times and often owners would engrave their crest or initials on their heirloom. This engraving, despite being a genuine part of the spoon’s history, unfortunately reduces the appeal for the purist collector and, therefore, the value on the market. Worse, though, is the practice of erasing this engraving. This will destroy any patination and probably leave the metal thin and bright.
- Another horror occasionally encountered is the Victorian practice of ‘improving’ their silver by embossing fruit and flowers all over the plain surfaces of earlier silver, and then gilding the lot. Spoons did not escape this practice, and should you be offered a rare 17th century ‘berry’ spoon, be very cautious.
- There are, of course, instances where condition is not everything. In recent years there has been a massive rise in interest in provincial marks on early spoons. Should a spoon come up at auction with a very rare mark (say Dublin 1680 or Lewes c1640) the fact that it has a slight bowl wear or a later crest will have a less detrimental effect on the price than it might on a London example.

Fakes and Alterations
Thankfully there are very few fake spoons around that would fool someone with knowledge, but it is worth bearing in mind what to look for:

• They can be cast from an original. This can be easily spotted in most cases as the surface has a sandy look to it and the hallmarks look ‘fuzzy’. Cast spoons generally do not have the sharp edges associated with good originals, and often feel ‘greasy’ to the touch.
• Fake marks have occasionally been encountered on conventionally wrought, often newly made spoons. The punches for the marks usually lack the correct detailing, and often ’soft’ - that is they have been struck using punches or stamps made of soft metal - which quickly lose their sharpness.
• Over the years fashions amongst collectors have changed. In the late 19th century most collectors wanted examples of London apostle spoons and nothing else. This led to the practice of removing the finials from quite genuine seal top spoons and replacing them with fake apostles. The new finials were frequently not gilt, and usually the finial looks disproportionately large for the spoon as seal top spoons generally had less substantial stems than apostles spoons. Because it was not fully understood how finials were joined to the stems, these altered pieces often show no sign of jointing at all.

Things to Look Out for:
Remember that the early spoon makers were not as fussy as we might be today. They might set themselves a daily production target and set to work. The quality of finish on spoons varies enormously, and you will often find signs of orginating filing and hammering. Die-struck rat-tails (the rib which runs down the back of the bowl) and laceback decoration can be mis-struck, giving a double impression. Worn dies can be a cause of poorly defined decoration as much as subsequent wear to the spoon. Some spoons are quite noticeably asymmetrical and always have been.

Once a spoon left the maker’s workshop and was put to use, it began to build its patination and show signs of how it was used. Concentrate on this aspect as it is where most fakers let themselves down. The greatest wear will probably be to the bowl. When used for stirring or eating, the tip of the bowl will take the brunt of the abrasion and often a series of parallel scratches can be seen on the underside of the bowl at the point of wear. As the spoon is repeatedly put down on flat surfaces, the points of contact will acquire a slightly different patina from the surrounding areas. This can often be seen on the rat-tails of trefids as a slight flattening, and less obviously, where the handle touches the surface. One may occasionally notice a slight flat-spot at the point of contact on the rim of the finial in the same way.

Another sign to look for is some quite noticeable ‘nicking’ to the side of the stem where it joins the bowl. This feature is found more on trefids than on earlier types and is a result of the spoon having been knocked on the side of a plate or bowl to remove some tenacious morsel of food. It will generally be found on both sides of the stem, but slightly more heavily on the same side of the bowl wear (reflecting the right or left-handedness of the user).

Finally, familiarise yourself as much as possible with the feel of a ‘right’ spoon. Take the opportunity to handle early spoons whenever there is a collection for sale at auction, and get to know dealers who stock early spoons. They are generally enthusiasts themselves and will take great pleasure in pointing out the pros and cons of particular specimens and will help you build a worthwhile collection.

Henry Willis
Henry Willis Antique Silver