Charles I Silver Slip Top Spoon, 1625

This is a particularly pleasing silver slip top spoon dating from the first year of Charles I's reign.

The spoon has a nice chunky feel in the hand and is typical of the quality expected from the specialist spoonmaker Daniel Cary. The customary features of a slip top spoon are evident in this example: hexagonal stem that tapers towards the cut-off finial and a deep, fig-shaped bowl.The reverse of the bowl is engraved with a dot-pricked betrothal triangle where the upper "P" represents the surname of the newlyweds and their first names beginning with "M" and "K".

This 401-year old spoon is in excellent condition with an unworn bowl and antique patina. The hallmarks remain clear with leopard's head crowned stamp for London to the bowl, "D" enclosing a "c" maker's mark and lion passant to lower stem and the date letter for 1625 towards the terminal (this placement was intentional to prevent unscrupulous silversmiths adding a finial).