James I Silver Slip Top Spoon, 1604 Martin Cottrell

This early James I period silver slip spoon has a particularly old-looking feel to it and a great set of hallmarks.

This 400-year old spoon takes the standard form of a slip top spoon with a plain hexagonal stem that fattens out towards the angled cut-off terminal. Furthermore, it is hallmarked in the expected manner too with a good bowl mark, the makers mark (a "C" enclosing a "M") and lion passant to the lower part of the stem and the date letter towards the terminal to distinguish it from finial-ended spoons and prevent the illegal later addition of a seal, apostle etc.

The condition is fine with a patina that is perhaps a result of burial at some point (silver was often hidden underground during the Civil War) as the surface has a pitted, yet not unsightly, look to it. Additionally, there is a minor kink to the lower section of the stem.

The spoon was made by Martin Cottrell who had been apprenticed to William Cawdell in 1596. His distinctive maker's mark follows the same pattern as his master ("C" enclosing a "W") and fellow apprentices.