James I Silver Slip Top Spoon, 1611

At 60 grams in weight, this is a particularly heavy silver slip top spoon dating from the reign of King James I. Its standout feature is the chunky handle that tapers towards its slip top terminal upon which a small galleon has been engraved to the angled face.

The spoon was made by William Cawdell who was the top London spoonmaker of the late 16th and early 17th centuries. His output was prolific and the quality of his spoons were the best of the late Tudor period. His distinctive style of maker's mark was later copied by his apprentices (James Cluatt, Martin Cottrell and John Jermyn) that succeeded him.

Despite its 400 years, this top quality slip top spoon remains in fine condition. The leopard's head mark to the bowl is slightly worn but the stem marks to the reverse are spread in typical fashion and are clearly legible.

The famed King James Bible was first published in the same year that this spoon was made!