William & Mary Silver Trefid Spoon, 1693 Stephen Coleman

This is a great example of a silver trefid spoon dating from the reign of King William III and Queen Mary.

Made by the spoonmaker Stephen Coleman, this spoon bears an engraved betrothal triangle to the reverse terminal where the upper letter "C" was the surname of the married couple and the lower letters their first name initials.

The spoon is in generally fine condition with a full bowl and antique patina; there is some wear to the beading along the rattail and rubbing to the hallmarks, although these are still legible (top half of the date letter "q" for 1693 can be seen). A great price for a good 17th century spoon!

Stephen Coleman was apprenticed to William Matthew and gained his freedom in 1690. The maker's mark on this spoon is "SC" with a crown surmount.