Lawrence Coles Silver Trefid Spoon, 1688

As far as silver trefid spoons go, this James II example by Lawrence Coles is a fine specimen and is the second of two near-identical examples.

Made in the year of the Glorious Revolution, this antique table spoon has a good, solid weight in the hand and is in fine condition throughout with an unworn bowl, good colour and clear set of hallmarks. The stem extends to a ribbed rattail under the bowl and has a later engraved crest featuring a dove with olive branch to the reverse terminal.

Lawrence Coles was one of the most important specialist spoonmakers from the last few decades of the 17th century and into the early 18th century. He was integral to a long line of spoonmakers that included his master John Smith and his apprentices which included Thomas Sadler, Thomas Issod and William Swadling.

If you are looking for a good, standard example of a 17th century silver trefid spoon at a sensible price, then this is the ideal piece - it has great hallmarks and is in fine condition with a lovely antique patina.