A rare set of 6 Scottish Provincial teaspoons, with engraved initial J. They are an unusual pattern, Fiddle without shoulders, and the edges are bevelled. Each spoon is slightly different, clearly each spoon has been made individually by hand. Each spoon is hallmarked with 3 "pot of lilies" followed by makers mark WC. The marks on 3 spoons are excellent, well struck and very clear, on 2 the bottom right hand corner is not visible, and on 1 spoon the marks are partially visible (but the pot of lilies still clearly visible) - as is often found with makers individually struck by hand. The pot of lilies townmark (azure a pot of growing lilies argent) is taken from the arms of the Burgh of Dundee (Jackson pg 598). Each pot has 3 lilies and 2 handles clearly visible.

A Cape Silver lemoen lepel, (orange spoon), in very good condition, and with very clear makers mark. This spoon is typical of the Cape lemoen lepels, with pointed terminal and bowl, the bowl itself eye shaped and quite deep. The spoon has typical Cape engraving, with a 4 petal flower and wrigglework along the edges of the handles. It also has a distinctive V joint connecting handle to bowl. The IC makers mark is well struck and clear (Welz mark 32 with canted corners). Welz describes orange spoons as"probably the most attractive type of spoon made at the Cape, derived from Dutch spoons", pg 95. He also notes that all known examples are by Cape born silversmiths of the early 19th century (so not made by the more prolific English immigrants who arrived after 1815). As far as we are aware, only Jan Lotter and Johannes combrink made lemoen lepels, probably between 1800 and 1815. Note - this spoon matches the pair S 1922.

A lovely pair of Early Georgian Hanoverian dessert or Child's spoons, made by the leading Huguenot spoonmaker of his day. The spoons are nicely proportioned, and have a double drop. The spoons are engraved on the back (as is usual for this period) with an interesting original family armorial, an Eagle wearing crown, clutching a quarter circle (sextant?) in its talon. The spoons are bottom marked, as is usual for this period, as a result the hallmarks are slightly squashed but still clearly legible, including makers mark PH under acorn for Paul Hanet. The date letter K is also clear, in unusual square outline (only K and M, 1725 and 1727, are not in Norman Shield, the only anomalies between 1561 and 1739). The lion passant and crowned leopards head town marks are partially visible. Paul Hanet is described by Grimwade (London Goldsmiths, page 532) "from the evidence of the survival of pieces bearing his mark, Hanet was clearly one of the principal Huguenot spoonmakers of his day". Hanet entered his first Lond...

A Rare Set of 6 Liberty & Co. Japanese Sterling Silver Gilded Octopus Teaspoons, made by Sadajiro of Musashiya (Yokohama), these were amongst the first silver items imported by Arthur Lasenby Liberty for his Liberty Arts & Crafts Department store. The spoons have octopi finials, bamboo cane handles, and ormer (abalone) shell bowls, what is remarkable is that each octopus is different. The octopi have been described as "comical, scratching their heads or frowning, adding a wonderful touch of humour" - Simon Moore, Artists Spoons, page 50. The spoons are beautifully gilded, and retain much of the original gilding, their is slight wear on the handles from use. This gilding of the entire spoon is unusual, we have seen other sets without gilding and one set with gilded bowls only. The spoons are well preserved in their original wooden Liberty & Co. box, with green plush velvet interior and green leather exterior with the Liberty logo stamped in gilt lettering, it reads "Liberty & Co. Ltd. Jewellers 218a Regent St....

A lovely Irish silver Bright Cut Celtic Point tablespoon, with traditional Dublin Star cut on the terminal. The spoon has an oval cartouche, with engraved family crest of a Griffin holding branch with leaves, this is crisp and clear. The spoon is bottom marked, and unusually has excellent hallmarks (bottom marked hallmarks are oftern squashed), they could not be better. The include Dublin Hibernia and Harp Crowned, date letter O for 1786, and makers mark J.S for John Shiels (or Sheils) who worked between 1762 and 1790.

A Russian silver Fiddle pattern tablespoon, with very clear hallmarks, including town mark for Tallinn (now Estonia). The town mark is a shield containing 3 lions, and was used between 1842 and 1920 (Watts, Russian Silversmiths Hallmarks). The assay masters mark is very clear (YaN), the mark is recorded by Watts but unknown (pg 89). The makers mark CRH for Carl Reinhold Hefftler is very clear (we previously had this incorrectly identified as Rubert Hermann). The spoon has scripted initials "G et WP" on the front, and "H&TJ" on the back next to the hallmarks.

A beautiful set of 6 art deco gilded sterling silver and enamel coffee spoons, with seal top finials. The gilding is a deep yellow colour, which provides a lovely contrast to the enamel. The back of the spoon bowls are beautifully decorated with fan shaped guilloche enamel, in 6 different bold colours (green, red, yellow, purple and light and dark blue). Guilloche enamel is a technique where a precise pattern is engraved on the silver base using a rose engine lathe, also called engine turning. The hallmarks on all 6 spoons are clear, including makers mark SLd for William Suckling Ltd, who worked between 1922 and 1955.

A Cape Silver lemoen lepel, (orange spoon), in good condition, and with very clear makers mark. This spoon is typical of the Cape lemoen lepels, with pointed terminal and bowl, the bowl itself eye shaped and quite deep. The spoon has typical Cape engraving, with a 4 petal flower and wrigglework along the edges of the handles. It also has a distinctive V joint connecting handle to bowl. The spoon has a slight copper tinge, this is exaggerated in the photographs. The IC makers mark is well struck and clear (Welz mark 32 with canted corners). Welz describes orange spoons as"probably the most attractive type of spoon made at the Cape, derived from Dutch spoons", pg 95. He also notes that all known examples are by Cape born silversmiths of the early 19th century (so not made by the more prolific English immigrants who arrived after 1815). As far as we are aware, only Jan Lotter and Johannes combrink made lemoen lepels, probably between 1800 and 1815. Note - this spoon matches the pair S 1922 and single S 1923.

Two interesting 19th century Spanish silver tablespoons, both with excellent hallmarks. Both spoons are 930 grade, so slightly higher grade than sterling (925). Both spoons are the same pattern, similar to Old English, but with a Continental flavour. The bowls have pronounced tips, no drops are present and the stems are flattened with an elegant oval stem. Both spoons have contemporary engraved initials, JL and I with lots of flourishes. Both spoons have 3 distinct hallmarks, denoting town, maker and assay master. The Barcelona spoon has town mark BAR under Maltese Cross in a domate punch, this mark was used circa 1825 (courtesy of Spanish silver website www.munozarce.com). The assay masters mark is P.FLORENSA, with P.FLO above RENSA. The makers mark is JA CARRERAS for Jacint Carreras. The Palma spoon has town mark M under palm tree in Loboid punch for Palma de Mallorca, this mark was used on large items in the 19th century (Tardy pg 108). The second mark is assay master A FORTEZA, the third mark is maker J M...

A set of 6 Prussian silver teaspoons, made in Danzig, now Gdansk, Poland. The spoons are a lovely shape, with long elegant pointed terminals and elongated bowls, more similar to grapefruit or fruit spoons, or lemoen lepels in Dutch. The spoons have bright cut engraving, designed to reflect in candle light, and cartouche for initials. The original owners prick engraved initials G.V. J are very faintly visible. The spoons have 3 hallmarks, most marks are clear, some partially obscured. They include Danzig town mark (2 maltese crosses below crown) in irregular shield, used between 1790 and 1799, makers mark JGS in script, and a large cursive E, we believe this is the assay master mark rather than a date letter, all suggestions welcome. We have identified a Danzig silversmith Johannes Gottlieb Stegmann whose makers mark was JGS, he worked between 1772 and 1804, but his published mark (www.agraart.pl/silver), is different, not the script style as here, so it is possible we have mis-identified the silversmith, all...

An interesting Swiss Silver preserve set, consisting of a matching fork and slotted spoon in their original box. They are 800 grade silver, and both the spoon bowl and fork (excluding handle) are gilded, to protect the silver from corrosive salt. The matching handles are a beaded pattern, with the pattern on the back different from the pattern on the front. The spoon has seven slots in an attractive pattern, the fork has 4 tines. Both items are clearly hallmarked with the Jezler makers mark and 800 standard mark. The original box has a retailers label, which reads "Otto Leuenberger, Uhren & Bijoutier, Langnau (Bern) - Brugg (Aargau)".

A lovely Dutch silver sugar sifter in the Empire style, made by Pieter Kuijlenburg in Schoonhoven in 1830. The sifter ladle has a wide oval curved bowl, quite deep, with a beaded rim, and intricate piercing of the bowl. The centre is an eight pointed star, with 8 radiating arrows interspersed with patterned dots, surrounded by a cross and semi circle pattern. The curved, elegant handle has a pointed terminal, it is beautifully engraved with a bright cut pattern, including stems with leaves and flowers. The Empire style is a Neo-Classical revival style, that became popular in France, Belgium and the Netherlands after the rise of Napoleon. The hallmarks include makers mark PKB under kappie for Pieter Kuijlenburg, Lion passant 2nd standard (833 purity), Minerva head duty mark, and date letter script V for 1830 (the date letter struck inside the bowl). Kuijlenburg worked in Schoonhoven as a silversmith between 1818 and 1831, he was born in 1791 and died in 1868, he had 6 children including Adrianus who was also a...

A Chinese Export silver dessertspoon in the Fiddle pattern, with very clear pseudo hallmarks. The spoon has original engraved initials (now worn), and has been well used. The hallmarks include pseudo lion passant, pseudo crowned leopard's head town mark, makers mark YS and pseudo duty mark, these marks are very clearly struck, but show wear to the punches from prolonged use. The website www.chineseexportsilver.com also notes that "Yatshing silver is always of a high standard", and the book "Chinese Export Silver describes Yatshing as "quite prolific".

A Chinese Export silver dessertspoon in the Fiddle pattern, made by the respected maker Khecheong in Canton. The spoon has no engraving or any signs of removal of engraving. The hallmarks are clear, and include pseudo duty mark, pseudo crowned leopards head town mark, pseudo lion passant and makers mark KHC (slight wear to K). Khecheong was one of the most prolific Chinese Export silversmiths, he worked from Club Street, Honam Island, Canton between 1840 and 1870. He has been described as a "good silversmith" Forbes, Chinese Export Silver 1785-1885, page 255 - a book we highly recommend.

A set of three sterling silver tablespoons in the popular Fiddle, Thread and Shell pattern, with engraved Marais Family coat of arms, which is very clear. The spoons are a substantial size and weight, 105 grammes each, the quality is excellent (tablespoons over 100 grammes are rare). The hallmarks are very clear, including makers mark D&J W, for Daniel & John Wellby, who worked between 1827 and 1974 from Garrick Street, London. The Marais family coat of arms is described as "Azure, a chain sable fesswise, in chief a crescent reversed and a base of two hills vert" - Pama, Heraldry of South African Families, page 53, depicted on Plate 18, no 280, of the Bell Krynauw Collection. It dates back to Charles Marais of the farm Plasir de Merle, who arrived in the Cape in 1688, and was "murdered by a Hottentot on the farm in 1689". Note - we have other matching items with the Marais Family armorial.

A set of three sterling silver items, namely ladle, saltspoon and butterknife, in the popular Fiddle, Thread and Shell pattern, with engraved Marais Family coat of arms, which is very clear on all 3 items. The ladle is a pleasing size and weight,108 grammes, the quality is excellent on all 3 items. The hallmarks are very clear, including makers mark D&J W, for Daniel & John Wellby, who worked between 1827 and 1974 from Garrick Street, London. The Marais family coat of arms is described as "Azure, a chain sable fesswise, in chief a crescent reversed and a base of two hills vert" - Pama, Heraldry of South African Families, page 53, depicted on Plate 18, no 280, of the Bell Krynauw Collection. It dates back to Charles Marais of the farm Plasir de Merle, who arrived in the Cape in 1688, and was "murdered by a Hottentot on the farm in 1689". Note - we have other matching items with the Marais Family armorial.

A very rare Victorian silver Straight Tudor pattern flatware set, made by Chawner & Co, the leading flatware maker of Victorian England. The spoons and forks are fabulous quality, and are in excellent condition. The Straight Tudor pattern is a Gothic Revival pattern, it omits 2 small scroll circular projections on each side of the stem, this differentiates it from the "Tudor" pattern. All 48 pieces are clearly hallmarked, they also carry the British Registry design number and date chart diamond, which rarely occurs on silver flatware - class I for metal, date letter v for 1850, and R 14 indicating 14 August. The presence of the design mark indicates that Chawner registered the design to protect it from being copied. Straight Tudor is described by Pickford (Silver Flatware page 149) as "a rare 19th century Chawner & Co design which appears in their pattern book (page 219), registered August 14th 1850, along with Tudor. Services and pieces are rare, building a service would be extremely difficult". The Tudor ...

An extremely rare child's puritan spoon, dating back to the Commonwealth period, when Oliver Cromwell was Lord Protector of England. The spoon has a flat stem with straight sides, and a curved spade shaped bowl. The spoon also has a small V shaped drop. The puritan spoon replaced the slip-top spoon (with hexagonal stem and fig shaped bowl) during the early Commonwealth period, and gained it's name from Cromwell's Puritan soldiers opposed to King Charles I, who considered the more elaborate Apostle spoons "irreverant" (Gask, Old Silver Spoons of England, pg 92). Given that so much silver was melted down during and after the English civil war, Puritan spoons are rare, and the smaller children's puritan spoons are extremely rare. A very similar spoon to this, described as "Rare Charles I child's puritan spoon, 1646, exhibited in Cardiff Museum" was sold as lot 35 of the famous "Alexander James Collection of Early English Silver Spoons", Phillips 1979, with an estimate of GBP 500-600. Steven Venables worked in L...

A collection of 3 18th century Miniature snuff or toy spoons in the Hanoverian pattern, possibly all by the same maker Christian Hillan. The first spoon is hallmarked with makers mark CH under a star, we believe this to be the mark of Christian Hillan, Grimwade mark 326, this mark is well struck but slightly squashed by the small size of the handle. The spoon has a long drop which we date to circa 1740, the spoon is 7.7 cm long and weighs 5 grammes, the quality and condition of this spoon is excellent, we really like this spoon. The next 2 spoons are a pair, both are engraved on the back with script owners initials IJ, these spoons are possibly slightly later in date as they have no drop. They are 7.5 cm in length, and weigh 5 grammes combined. Both are in good condition, with very slight kink in the bowls. Both are hallmarked twice with the same makers mark, this is only partially visible, script letters, possibly CH for Christian Hillan (Grimwade 333), but it could also be John Hugh Le Sage (Grimwade 1681) ...

An interesting pair of Cape silver dessertspoons, engraved with an original family crest of winged castle turret below circular cross. The spoons are Fiddle pattern, and are very pleasing quality and weight. The hallmarks are also very clear on both spoons, pseudo duty mark, pseudo castle town mark with flag flying, pseudo date letter C and makers mark LT (mark 140 in Cape Silver and Silversmiths by Welz). What makes these spoons interesting is the different sized makers mark, one has the usual larger size LT punch, the other has a much smaller LT punch, we assume intended for hallmarking smaller items. 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 1832. Note - These spoons match the pair of tablespoons S11352. Note 2 - With the assistance of a customer, we have now identified the engraved crest as the Heathcote family, described as "On a mural crown, a sphere charged with a cross, between tw...