Elizabethan Silver Lion Sejant Spoon, London 1571

This is a first rate example of an Elizabethan period silver lion sejant spoon.

The casting of the lion sejant is excellent with good detail to the face, mane and body, even the tail can be seen curling up the back. The best lion sejants show a gap between the front and hind legs, as in this example. Reassuringly, the original step joint for the finial can just be discerned on both sides of the stem. The spoon has a lovely feel and balance in the hand and the fig-shaped bowl has a lovely deep form. The back of the bowl bears original dot-prick engraved initials.

There is a good leopard's head crowned stamp to the bowl, whilst the hallmarks to the back of the hexagonal stem include a lion passant, date letter "O" for 1571 (flaw to the base of the punch) and a maker's mark that is a little indistinct but appears to show initials either side of a device - one of which is an "I". This is potentially the "animal's head erased between WI" mark shown in Jackson's hallmarks (Pickford edition) on page 105 as the 13th entry or a previously unrecorded maker.

This mid-Elizabeth I period spoon is in fine condition with an excellent unworn bowl, good finial and a lovely antique patina.