Taunton Silver Trefid Spoon, 1693 Samuel Dell

This is a great William & Mary period silver trefid spoon made in the west country of England by a rarely encountered Taunton silversmith.

The spoon takes the typical plain trefid form with a rudimentary rattail to the reverse side at the base of the stem. The reverse terminal is dot-prick engraved with original "G.H" baptismal initials which are handily dated to 1693 thus providing an accurate date of manufacture. This date ties in nicely with the maker Samuel Dell who was working in Taunton from at least 1685 when he was located in the centre of town on Fore Street until his death in 1698. The reverse side of the handle is clearly struck with two examples of his SD maker's mark .

The spoon is in fine antique condition with a full shaped bowl that is a little sharp to the touch at the leading edge due to the light gauge of the metal, plus there a few tiny dings within the bowl. Overall though, this is a rare and very pleasing trefid spoon.