Plymouth Silver Caddy Spoon, 1805

A beautiful Georgian period silver caddy spoon made in Plymouth by William Welch II. This pretty tea caddy spoon is engraved to the bowl with oak leaves and acorns and has a vacant cartouche to the front terminal. It is in excellent condition.

Despite the fact that Exeter hallmarked small spoons of this period did not bear a date letter, this particular spoon can be accurately dated to between 1805 and 1809 by the shape of the duty mark with an indent at the top (introduced 1804) and the oval punch for the lion passant (introduced in 1805). The use of this particular duty mark was discontinued by 1809. See "Exeter & West Country Silver 1700-1900" page 305 by Miles Harrison.