Rare Pair of Charles I Silver Slip Top Spoons, 1634

Antique silver slip top spoons are generally found singularly as individuals would have had their own spoon that they carried about with them. We are offering a very rare pair of 17th century slip top spoons where the evidence from the original betrothal engravings found to the front terminals suggest that they were initially given as wedding presents to both husband and wife. To have survived together all this time is quite remarkable.

These top quality spoons have a good, hefty weight and were made during the reign of King Charles I by the specialist spoonmaker John Smith. They have the diagnostic slipped terminal (i.e. cut at an angle) and it is here that the betrothal triangles "W" over "DM" are located. "W" being the surname of the happy couple and "D" and "M" the initial letters of their first names.

The spoons have good, thick, hexagonal stems and fig-shaped bowls. Both spoons are in excellent condition, although the stem marks to the reverse stems are rubbed but still legible. The bowl marks are unusual and interesting as they have been stamped at 90 degrees (sideways on) to normal - not a fault, just a bit quirky!

John Smith was one of the most important specialist spoonmakers from the middle decades of the 17th century. He was integral to a long line of spoonmakers that started at least in the mid 16th century with Nicholas Bartholomew and continued well in to the 18th century. The line included John Smith's master Richard Stonehill and his apprentices amongst which were Lawrence Coles, William Matthew and both Walter & Jonathan Bradley.