SPOON

Complete and well preserved pewter Post Medieval spoon dating to circa 17^th to early 18^th century. The stem is the same width over its entire length and has a flattened hexagonal cross section, slightly flattened from front to back faces. So-called slip top spoons usually have the stem terminating abruptly at a front to back angle, but the top of the stem on this found-example is square and quite rough. It is possible another type of finial has fractured from the top, or that the spoon is a stump end type; either way, it would not be reliable to solely determine the date, or the type of spoon, from what is a potentially damaged or missing finial.

The bowl is very slightly fig-shaped joining the stem on the underside in a tapering sharp point. In the bowl adjacent to where it meets the handle there are three makers touch-marks. They are all identical and comprise of a double-rose surmounted by a crown. Within each arch are separate letters C/I or C/J, which are no doubt the initials of the maker. Quite often there are owners initials struck on to spoons of this age, but there are no other deliberate marks to be seen on the spoon. 

The surface of the spoon has a dark brown to grey colour patina, with lighter mottled corroded areas principally on the bowl. Some corners and the face of the stem are worn back to a whitemetal colour.

Touch marks are effectively the pewterers individual  trade-mark or logo that was stamped onto a large and thick tin-plate when they joined the Guild. Unfortunately no trace can be found of this maker on any of the surviving guild plates.

In an effort to gain further information on the spoon, expert advice has been sought from the Pewter Society.  They concur with the assessment of the spoons date. The touch mark is not listed on their own vast database of British and Irish marks. However, the thrice-struck touch mark and its initialled crowned rose design is very typical of pewter products of the low countries. Once again though, the precise touch mark is unrecorded in the Holland and Belgium reference books and database sources.

Dimensions; Length 167mm, bowl width 58mm, stem length 108mm, stem thickness 4.4mm, stem width 6.4mm. weight 52.19g.