Elizabethan Maidenhead Spoon, 1586

An outstanding survivor from the 16th century, this scarce Elizabethan period silver spoon has a cast maidenhead terminal and is a great example of the type. It has the typical fig-shaped bowl for the period and hexagonal profile stem. 

This maidenhead spoon has a very good set of hallmarks including a good bowl mark and clear example of the "C" enclosing a "W" maker's mark for the major specialist spoonmaker, William Cawdell. The condition is excellent with no wear to the bowl (there is a light bruise to the deep of the bowl from table contact), generally good definition to the figural finial and a lovely patina. There are original dot-prick engraved "FG" initials to the reverse of the bowl.

1586 was a tumultuous year with Mary Queen of Scots sentenced to death for high treason and the Babington plotters executed for their thwarted plan to assassinate Queen Elizabeth. Tensions were building with King Philip II of Spain, which lead two years later to the attempted invasion of England by the Spanish Armada.