Philip Jerman Silver Trefid Spoon, Exeter c.1699

This is a great quality West Country silver trefid spoon made in the final years of the 17th century by Philip Jerman of Exeter

Dating from the William III period, this table spoon has a great feel in the hand and benefits from having an original set of dated betrothal initials to the reverse terminal. The dot-prick engraving shows the initials of the happy couple and the year "1699" which works perfectly with Jerman's short silversmithing career (1695 to circa 1705) and is two years prior to the opening of the Exeter Assay Office in 1701.

In addition to the three-lobed trefid terminal, the reverse of the bowl benefits from having a beaded rattail with just a little wear from three hundred and twenty odd years of table contact. There are three good examples of the highly decorative "PI" stamp to the reverse stem for Philip Jerman of Exeter (see "West Country Silver Spoons" by Tim Kent page 103).

The spoon is in excellent condition with the large bowl retaining much of its original shape and a fine overall patina. There is a tiny nick on the edge of the stem above the second maker's mark.