Georgian Silver Mote Spoon, 1760

This is a fine example of a mid-18th century silver mote spoon in excellent condition. The bowl has attractive crosslet and scroll piercing for lifting dust particles (motes) from a cup of tea and the end of the stem has a mitre-shaped spike for unclogging blocked-up teapot spouts. The spoon is marked twice in typical fashion on the narrow stem with the lion passant and maker's mark, although the letters are showing for the latter they are tricky to read; it appears to be "MD" (the distinctive swirl on the "D" is clearly visible) for the known mote spoon maker, Marmaduke Daintrey.