A magnificent set of 13 gilded silver Italian apostle spoons, featuring the 12 apostles on the smaller spoons and the "Master" on the larger spoon - all in their original box. They are extremely good quality and well made, the cast finials have very fine detail. The stems are twisted with a beaded design, and a winged female angel joins the bowls to the stems. Each apostle is named on the back of the finial in Italian - (S. Pilip, Giag, Paol, Luca, Mat, Bart, Piet, And, Tom, Mar, Giov, Sim). The spoon bowls are all made of silver coins (Piastra's) from the Papal States (which included most of central Italy in the 18th century) dated between 1676 and 1802. The coins have the Papal Arms for the following Popes: Innocento XI (1676-1689), Alessandro XIII (1689-1691), Innocento XII (1691-1700), Clement XI (1700-1721), Clement XII (1730-1740), Clement XIV (1769-1774), Pius VI (1775-1799) and Pius VII (1800-1823). Two of the coins, dated 1691, are "Sede Vacante" - translated "The Seat is Empty", meaning they were m...

A lovely set of Art Deco silver grapefruit spoons, with unusual and decorative pierced terminals. The spoons are good quality and a pleasing weight, a pleasure to use on a grapefruit. The piercing is robust, these spoons are very suitable for use. The hallmarks are clear on all 6 spoons. The spoons also have a registration mark, RD 787919, which indicates the design was registered and protected by the patent office. Cooper Brothers worked between 1900 and 1979.

A very rare Cape silver tablespoon in the Old English pattern, by a very rare maker whose work is seldom seen. The makers mark FLH is excellent, very well struck, this is accompanied by an anchor mark in a circular punch (mark 51 in Cape Silver by Welz). Herman (or Hermann) was born in the Cape in 1778, he worked between 1810 and 1811 from 38 Long Street. He was regarded as "one of the finest of all Cape silversmiths" by David Heller, in his book History of Cape Silver. He made a very fine covered sugar bowl, which is depicted on pg 101 of Cape Silver by Stephan Welz.

A Scottish provincial silver basting (or gravy) spoon in the Fiddle pattern, made by Alexander Cameron in Dundee, with Edinburgh hallmarks for 1824. The spoon is good quality and has a good feel, it is suitable for use as a serving spoon. The hallmarks are excellent, and include the "CAM over ERON" and "DUN over DEE" marks used by Cameron, along with very clear Edinburgh marks. Cameron was apprenticed to Robert Keay of Perth, and worked between 1818 and 1849. Following the re-imposition of duties in Great Britian in 1784, a duty mark had to be struck on silver, which in Scotland could only be done in Edinburgh. This meant that the provincial silversmiths had to submit their silver to Edinburgh - often a long arduous journey, so few did. By the 1820's when this spoon was made, provincial silversmiths such as Cameron submitted a portion of their silver to Edinburgh, to satisfy the authorities.

A rare Scottish Provincial pointed end tablespoon, with excellent hallmarks by a scarce maker. The spoon has script initial M (contempory) above the number 8, we assume its position in its original set. The spoon has some overall wear, but is a good weight, still a lovely spoon. Pointed end spoons are uniquely Scottish, the style was never adopted in England. The hallmarks are well struck and very clear, makers mark S.L struck twice, with the Dundee pot of lilies and date letter m. Similar makers can be seen on lot 190, Woolley & Wallis sale of a private collection of Scottish Provincial Flatware, January 2009.

Lovely scottish provincial tablespoon with characteristic celtic point, with the silversmiths surname incised. Initial A. The hallmarks include the crowned shield and "flaming heart" used by Douglas.

Beautiful ladle by the famed maker Alwyn Carr, one of the leading silversmiths of the Arts and Crafts period. It dates from the period after the dissolution of his partnership with Omar Ramsden, which occurred in 1918 when Carr returned from the Great War as a wounded Captain. The ladle is double lipped, spot hammered, has a rattail and a heart shaped terminal. The hallmarks are very clear. Carr died in 1940.

A Scottish provincial antique silver toddy ladle, in the Fiddle pattern, engraved with script initials TIR. The bowl is quite wide (5.0 cm) and oval in shape. The hallmarks are very clear and well struck, makers mark R&S and the A,B and D of Aberdeen struck separately. Middleton Rettie and Sons worked in Aberdeen between 1824 and 1891, they are known for their very fine silver.

A pair of magnificent Bacchanalian pattern fruit serving spoons. This is one of the rarest English silver flatware patterns, it was originally produced by Paul Storr. The spoons shows Bacchus, the Roman God of wine, riding a lion, whilst a topless Diana looks on, with another figure asleep at her feet. The back of the spoons are also beautifully decorated, with a masque over a theatre curtain, and tilted amphora of wine. Bunches of grapes and vine leaves complete the decoration. The spoons are extremely good quality, quite heavy to hold, sturdy enough to use as a serving spoon, and the hallmarks are clear on both spoons. Bacchanalian pattern is shown in "Silver Flatware" by Pickford (pg. 127), where an identical dessert service made by Wakely and Wheeler is depicted. The pattern was originally designed by Thomas Stothard, the famous painter and designer, for Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, the Royal silversmiths, in 1812, the first service was used by King George III. The other rare patterns in the same series in...

An early James II silver trefid spoon, by one of the "First Fifteen" London spoonmakers (1580-1697), as identified by Tim Kent in his book "London Silver Spoonmakers". The trefid spoon has a ribbed rat-tail, and is prick engraved "M.P over C.G", indicating this spoon celebrated a marriage. The engraving is delightful, and is contemporary. The spoon is in lovely condition, well preserved given it's age. The makers mark is superb, very clearly struck and perfectly preserved, it could not be better - easily as good as the example illustrated by Kent (pg 36), taken from the original copper plate preserved by the Goldsmiths Hall. This is Thomas Allens' pre 1697 mark. It has 3 pellets above, and a rose below, all clearly visible. The other hallmarks are visible but worn, the crowned leopards head for London, and date letter h for 1685. The lion passant is just visible, but very worn. Thomas Allen was apprenticed to John King (another of the First Fifteen) in 1668, and freed in 1675 (Grimwade pg 422). He was a speci...

An early antique silver trefid spoon, preserved in excellent condition, and with good hallmarks. The spoon is the traditional trefid shape (also called Pied de Biche, as the style originated in France), and has a lovely reeded rat-tail, which is quite rare. The spoon is engraved with contemporary initials "K * M", engraved correctly on the back of the spoon. The spoon is good quality, and has a lovely feel. The hallmarks include makers mark DO in diamond shaped punch with Fleur de Lys above and below. This mark belongs to Dorothy Grant (Grimwade 3591, Jackson pg 136, under 1680). Dorothy Grant was the widow of William Grant, she worked until 1712, both her sons Benjamin and William apprenticed under her (Grimwade pg 527). Other marks include crowned leopards head (worn), lion passant and date letter O for 1691, which is very clear. Note: We had originally ascribed this mark to John Downes (Jackson, pg 155, Wyler, pg 145, Grimwade pg 46), but this mark is clearly in a diamond rather than circular punch used by...

A provincial silver trefid spoon, made in Exeter in 1714. The spoon has an oval bowl, rat-tail with ribs, a flat stem and the traditionally shaped end with 2 clefts, with a slight upturn. The spoon is engraved "MH 1707" on the back of the spoon, the MH are co-joined, and the engraving is contemporary. During this period spoons were placed on the table bowl down, hence the engraving on the back. The spoon is quite light, as is often the case with provincial spoons, but in very good condition, given its age. The spoon has 5 hallmarks, makers mark MA co-joined, 3 turreted castle (Exeter town mark), Brittania (very worn), lions head erased (used in Exeter between 1701 and 1720 to denote Britannia silver, which is higher grade than Sterling), and date letter O in shield for 1714. The makers mark appears to be MA co-joined, but could also be read the other way around (?W). We now believe this to be the mark of John Manley I of Dartmouth, who entered his mark in Exeter in 1705 (See mark 86, West Country Spoons and t...

An interesting silver spoon, commemorating the 7th Battalion, The Duke of Cambridge Own Middlesex Regiment. The spoon has the regimental badge, a Roman soldier with shield and sword, surrounded by the motto "Pro Rege Patria et Laribus", translated "For King, Home and Country". A laurel wreath surrounds this, and the Royal crown sits on top. The spoon also carries the motto "South Africa 1900", signifying battle honours won during the Boer War, and "1798", which commemorates the Hampstead Volunteers of 1798, the founders of the Regiment. The regiment is known as the "Die Hards", a nickname earned during the Peninsula wars at Albuera in 1811. During the Boer War they were involved in the Relief of Ladysmith, and the attack on Spioenkop. The 7th Battalion were formed in 1907, it was a volunteer Battalion, and also a "special reserve" Battalion, whose duty was supplying drafts to the 4 front line Battalions in time of need. In 1911 (the year the spoon was made, so we assume it commemorates this event), the 7th be...

A lovely set of classic deco coffee spoons, in original box. All 6 spoons are clearly hallmarked.

A very rare and well preserved slip top spoon, of good gauge, by one of the "First Fifteen" London spoonmakers as identified by Tim Kent (London Silver Spoonmakers, 1500-1697). The slip top is engraved "BB, Feb 13, 1632", in a very attractive fashion, so probably was a Christening present. The spoon has a curved fig shaped bowl, and tapered hexagonal stem, ending in the slipped end. The bowl is hallmarked with crowned leopards head, the base of the stem with makers mark "D enclosing C" for Daniel Cary, alongside a well struck lion passant, and date letter O for 1631, struck at the end of the stem, as is usual during this period. The stem is attached to the bowl with a very stubby and rough rat tail, also usual for the period. This is a lovely spoon, and has a very good feel about it, I am tempted to use it (but have resisted!). A very similar spoon to this by Daniel Cary was sold in the Alexander James Collection of Early English Spoons, by Phillips in 1979. Lot 36 (pg 55), shows a slip top spoon made by Dani...

A magnificent Cape silver gravy (also called basting or serving) spoon, in the Kings pattern, double struck with diamond heel. It has a lovely weight and is very good quality, this is one of the most substantial Cape silver spoons we have seen, and is suitable for regular use - in fact a spoon anyone would enjoy using. The hallmarks are very clear, makers mark LT for Lawrence Twentyman, and pseudo English hallmarks (leopards head, duty mark, date letter a and lion) - Welz mark 135, but in a different order. Twentyman was the most prolific of all Cape silversmiths, he had the first shop on Heerengracht (now Adderley Street) with a shop window. He worked between 1818 and 1837.

Cape Fiddle pattern saltspoon complete with makers mark and pseudo english hallmarks (clearly visible), gilded bowl and engraved monogram TTA. The spoon is slightly longer than others we have seen. Townsend was a leading Cape silversmith, who had a shop on Heerengracht in Cape Town, and is regarded as one of the finest and most versatile of Cape silversmiths by Heller.

A magnificent dessert sized spoon with the Goddess Nike standing on a pedestal with the initials "JERC", in script initials. Nike is the Greek winged Goddess of victory, strength and speed, she appears on the back of every Olympic medal. The detail of the Nike casting is excellent, this is a spoon of exceptional quality, as you would expect from Garrard. The hallmarks are very clear. The firm of R&S Garrard & Co (Garrard's), which began life in 1722 and still exists today, is famed for it's exceptional silver of very good quality. Garrard's were Crown Jewellers for much of their history, they lost the Royal warrant in 2007. Re the script initials, we assume they belong to a sports club, perhaps a rowing or rugby club? - we would welcome opinion's or corrections.

A delightful silver Christening present, consisting of a boxed set containing child's spoon and pusher, decorated with a scene from the "This little piggy" nursery rhyme. The spoon bowl shows a pig complete with straw hat, in a donkey drawn cart, with trees, hills and birds in the background, along with inscription "This little pig went to market". The detail is lovely, as can be seen in the photos. Both handles are decorated with the same flower and scroll pattern. The hallmarks on both are very clear, and include a registration number "Rd No 348578", indicating the design was registered to prevent copying by other firms. Levi & Salaman was established in 1870, and was merged into Barker Brothers in 1921 (Culme, Directory Gold and Silversmiths). They were highly regarded, particularly for good quality souvenir spoons. An interesting story is that one of their spoons saved a soldiers life in WWI when it deflected a bullet, this spoon was viewed by the Queen at the British Industries Fair in 1915 (Culme).

A beautiful and very good quality antique silver spoon, commemorating the Diamond Jubilee (60 years on the throne) of Queen Victoria in 1897. The spoon has the Royal Coat of Arms and motto "Dieu et Mon Droit", a medallion bust of Queen Victoria, a Scottish thistle, VR for "Victoria Reigns", and the dates 1837-1897. The spoon is a pleasing weight and quality, this would have been an expensive souvenir in its day. The hallmarks are good, and include makers mark WG over JL, for William Gibson and John Langman. Gibson & Langman, originally from Belfast, Ireland, founded the famous Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co Ltd in 1880, which was amalgamated into Garrards in 1952. They used the WG/JL mark until 1898, when they switched to the more familiar G&S Co Ltd mark. John Langman equipped and maintained the Langman field hospital during the Boer War, he was created Baronet in 1906. A matching silver fork to this spoon was sold as Lot 38 in the postal auction of the Silver spoon club of Great Britain, March 2012, The Finia...