James I Silver Seal Top Spoon, 1610

This is an excellent example of a James I period silver seal top spoon made by the specialist spoonmaker James Cluatt.

The spoon has the typical deep, fig-shaped bowl and cast, gilt seal terminal that one would expect from a spoon of this period. The end plate of the seal terminal is dot-pricked with original "EW" initials and has the satisfying bonus of  bearing the date "1609". This four-hundred year old spoon is in fine condition with an unworn bowl and an excellent set of hallmarks. As typical, the original V-notch join of the cast finial to the handle is showing. A fine example of its type.

James Cluatt is considered one of the "First Fifteen" spoonmakers of the 1580-1697 period by Tim Kent in "London Silver Spoonmakers 1500-1697" by Timothy Kent. He was apprenticed to William Cawdell, gained his freedom in 1604 and died sometime before 1627. As a nod to his former master, his makers mark was of a similar style - a "C" enclosing an "I".