Lewes Silver Trefid Spoon, 1683 Samuel Emery

This is a rare silver trefid spoon marked with the fleur-de-lys mark used in Lewes during the 17th century.

The trefid terminal is dot-prick engraved to the front with a baptismal initial "T.H" over "1683" which gives a clear indication of the date of manufacture. The spoon has a strong rattail to the reverse of the bowl and overall is an excellent piece of provincial late Charles II period silver in fine condition - n.b. there is a lamination flaw to the front terminal below the engraving. 

The Lewes fleur-de-lys town mark is illustrated as figures 28, 32 & 46 in "Sussex Silver & Its Makers" by Tim Kent. In addition to the fleur-de-lys mark, the reverse stem is also stamped twice with a "S" that may give a possible clue to the maker.

It was a feature of Lewes silversmiths to also use a single letter stamp in addition to the town mark - e.g. "D" & "W" (used by William Dodson I and II) "E" (used by James Emery I) and "R" & "B". A potential candidate for the mark is Samuel Emery who Kent records as the son of James Emery I silversmith and who received a share with his brother James II of his father's workshop tools in his will of 1675 (appendix D page 38). In the absence of other Lewes silversmiths having an initial letter "S" and the probable working period from 1675, the stamp on this spoon suggests it may well have been made by Samuel Emery.