Onslow Pattern Silver Basting Spoon, 1764 Thomas Wallis

This good-sized silver serving spoon was made for a variety of purposes and is variably known as a stuffing, basting or gravy spoon.

Dating from the early George III period, this basting spoon is made in the Onlsow pattern and bears an original engraved crest of a bird to the reverse side, tucked under the scroll terminal. The spoon has a pinched but legible set of bottom-struck hallmarks, was made by the major spoonmaker Thomas Wallis I and is in fine condition.

Of all the major flatware patterns of the Georgian period, Onslow pattern remains left field. It was named in honour of Arthur Onslow, the famous Speaker of the House, was produced intermittently from the middle of the 18th century and tends to be mostly found in the form of spoons and serving items. It is unusual in that it was made in two pieces; the cast, scroll terminal was applied to the shank of the spoon by way of a scarf joint (a longitudinal overlap of the two sections being joined).