Rattail Basting Spoon, London 1714

This is a fine quality silver basting spoon in Hanoverian Rattail Pattern made in the year Queen Anne died and George I became king. This 12" long spoon is in great original condition with a crest surmounted by betrothal triangle to the reverse terminal. The engraved triangle reads "I" over "TF", where the former is the surname of the happy couple and their first names begin with "T" and "F".

The spoon has a very good set of Britannia Standard hallmarks. The maker's mark is slightly mis-struck (the first letter is missing), but can easily be attributed by way of the distinctive dot above the "M", for the specialist maker of this type of spoon - Joseph Smith I (see central picture below for another example).