SPOON

Post medieval pewter (lead-tin alloy) slip top spoon dating to c. AD 1525-1660. The spoon has a flattened oval bowl shaped bowl with the widest point about third of the way up narrowing with a convex curve towards a point at the handle. On the front, near the junction with the handle is a makers mark in the form of a flower with a elongated oval base and three lobed leaves to each side and a flower head at the top. The flower head is formed of three square petals with two raised circles. This mght also represent a fleur de lis but the rounded central petal and lobed side petals would be unusual. On the back of the bowl at the junction with the handle and bowl there is  very short triangular 'peg' ie raised support of this junction.. The handle is hexagonal with wide flat face on the front and back. It widens slightly from the bowl to the end where it has a plain squared off end. The handle is bent in the middle back on itself towards the back.

The bowl is 73.3mm long and 49.9mm wide and now 3.9mm deep, probably originally deeper. The handle is 46.4mm long to the bend and 6.7mm wide and 5.7mm thick. The total piece weighs 49.63g.

Slip top spoons are 16th to 17th century in date. As the handle is slightly wider than it is thick the spoon is likely to date to the mid 16th century or later (Homer 1975:39-40).. This peg on the back of the bowl tended to become longer after the restoration suggesting this piece is pre-1675 and the bowl shape and position of the makers mark would also suggest a date before the late 17th century (Homer 1975, 52). There is no parallel for the makers mark listed by Homer (1975 and 1991), most marks are placed in a circle but Homer does illustrate some not in a circle like this example, although none of the same form. The mark is also at the larger end of the types illustrated in Homer. Homer (1991, 149) suggests pewterers were active in many local Devon towns in the 16th and 17th century and probably supplied most of the local market for spoons.