St. Simon Silver Apostle Spoon, 1641 James Cluatt

This is very fine example of a Charles I period silver apostle spoon depicting St Simon of Zelotes.

The spoon's finely modelled cast figural finial is gilt and shows St Simon with a saw in his right hand - this was the weapon used in his martydom. His nimbus features the sacred dove as it rises to heaven and the original v-notch join to the stem is evident (a good thing!). The fig-shaped bowl is in fine condition with its original shape intact.

The hexagonal stem is struck with three hallmarks including the date letter for 1641, lion passant and "C" enclosing an "l" mark for James Cluatt. The bowl mark is a touch rubbed, but clearly the leopard's head crowned mark representing London.

James Cluatt was apprenticed to the master spoonmaker William Cawdell in 1594 and in turn taught the later spoonmakers William Limpanny and Richard Thorniwork.

This 380-year old apostle spoon remains in excellent condition with a nice weight and an especially well-modelled and detailed finial.