Picture-back Silver-gilt Mote Spoon 1750 Elizabeth Oldfield

This is an exquisite silver-gilt mote spoon made by during the middle years of the 18th century by Elizabeth Oldfield.

The reverse side of the bowl is decorated with an original picture back that features a hen on eggs in a farmyard setting. This is a scarce fancy back scene on any item of flatware and so to find it on a mote spoon is especially pleasing. Unusually, the bowl is pierced towards the tip end only to accomodate the scene and the top of the stem is attractively engraved. The all-over gilding just adds to the feeling of very high quality for this superb spoon.

The spoon is marked to the back of the stem with the "EO" makers mark twice for Elizabeth Oldfield. This lady silversmith was originally married to the spoonmaker Charles Jackson, but following his death in 1748 she entered her own mark as Elizabeth Jackson and carried on the silversmithing business. She subsequently remarried and entered a further mark in her new name as Elizabeth Oldfield in late 1750. The business flourished for five years and so thus accurately dates this spoon to being made between 1750 and 1755.

A further bonus - this excellent spoon is in fine condition with clear detail to the picture back.