York Silver Seal Top Spoon, 1647 Robert Harrington

This is an extremely rare Charles I period silver seal top spoon made in the city of York.

The spoon has a typical seal terminal for the period and is in excellent condition with a full unworn bowl and just a touch of wear to the cast seal finial. There is a later engraved "P" to the seal terminal.

During medieval times, York was the most important provincial English city and was the first to be given the opportunity for marking its own silver. Indeed, the city had its own assay office and date letter cycle until it closed in 1717 before reopening later the same century. From 1632, the city mark was a half leopard’s head and half fleur-de-lys and a clear example can be seen in the bowl of this spoon. The two stem marks show a worn letter “r” date letter for 1647 and the “RH” maker’s mark for Robert Harrington.

Robert Harrington was the son of another York silversmith Christopher Harrington and became free by patrimony in 1617. This spoon is possibly one of the last he produced as Robert died in 1647.