| INDEX | ALL SILVER |
| DESCRIPTION | Exceptionally good and interesting (at least to me) antique English solid Britannia standard silver Dog Nose With Rat Tail table spoon prick dot engraved to celebrate the marriage of Mr. G. (George?) M. to Mrs D. M. The box is from the important London dealer Spink and is printed with a four digit London telephone number and 'By appointment to Her Majesty' so I presume mid 1950s. |
| SILVERSMITH | John Sutton. John was Warden in 1696, 1701, 1703 and Prime Warden 1707. His mark is the first entered in the largeworkers' book started in 1697 and is awarded the distinction of a large ornamental script as present Touchwarden 15th April 1697. Some of you will be aware of the disruption bottom marking can do to spoon and fork stems and the necessary re-working to re-shape the stem after marking that pinches the hallmarks, especially when they had been struck fiercely. Whoever struck these marks was working on his boss's piece or perhaps John struck them himself. Either way it is not a surprise that these hallmarks have been struck respectfully, almost gently. John's mark was struck by himself and is firmly done. Too big for the full punch to fit he has left us the essentials of 'S' within a distinctive surround. This can only be for John Sutton. The full mark is 'SV', using the Latin 'V' for 'U'. Some of the older British readers may remember Derek Jacobi in 'I CLAVDIVS' (I, Claudius). |
| DATE or HALLMARK | 1702, mark part rubbed but readable |
| ASSAY OFFICE | London |
| WEIGHT in GRAMS | 63 |
| LENGTH | 8", 202mm |
| SILVER STANDARD | ·9584 Britannia, the base of Britannia is visible but not much, if anything at all, of the Lion's Head Erased can be seen |
| CONDITION | exceptionally excellent, rubbing of some hallmarks has more to do with light striking than wear, although not recently polished and well patinated I can see no nasties beneath. Probably the finest example available to humankind. |
select any image to enlarge
| SOLD |
| Price £298 |
| item number m9133 |
| email questions to silfren@btinternet.com
telephone 07563 011924 experts available 24 hours every day |