Rare Head & Neck Spoon, 1601

This small child's spoon dates from the latter years of the Elizabethan period and is in a very rare form named by GEP How as a "Head & Neck" finial. The spoon is in generally good order, although there is some wear to the detail of the cast finial. The reverse of the bowl is engraved with later initials. The marks are all legible with a good crowned leopard to the bowl and legible stem marks. The original v-notch solder join can be seen to the terminal and the finial was fitted slightly askew!

Commander How describes this type of spoon on page 195 in volume 2 of "English & Scottish Silver Spoons Mediaeval to Late Stuart" as "head & neck finials" probably pertaining to the head of the infant Christ and intended for use as a child spoon. He comments that the features are generally worn (as with this example) due to the lack of a nimbus to protect them. They are a very rare form of spoon with only 3 depicted in this great tome with one dated 1607 bearing a near identical length and resemblance to this spoon.