Seal Top Spoon, c1650

This is a fine looking mid-17th century seal top spoon in very good overall condition. A major bonus is the original dot-prick engraved betrothal initials to the flat seal plate which being dated "1650" accurately places the spoon in the Commonwealth or interregnum period and the final phase of the English Civil War. This spoon bears 4 stamps (once to bowl and thrice to stem) of an eight petal flower mark (see Jacksons first entry on page 526 of the Pickford edition for an identical mark on a seal top spoon). The form of cast seal has been identified by Tim Kent as being from a group classed as Salisbury "Group B" (Salisbury Silver page 16), and so the spoon can with some certainty be said to originate from the Salisbury area.

This seal top spoon has a good, unworn bowl and attractive cast, gilt terminal (some loss of detail that is probably due to an old die used in manufacture). A fine piece at a competitive price.