Lawrence Coles Trefid Spoon, 1697

Lawrence Coles was one of the major specialist spoonmakers of the late 17th century and this is a fine example of a trefid spoon. Dating from the reign of William III, the spoon has an attractive bead decorated rattail to the reverse of the bowl and bears original "AI" initials to the reverse terminal and mid-18th century "MT" initials to the front. It has a very good set of Britannia Standard hallmarks with exemplary date letter and "Co" maker's marks for the first year of compulsory Britannia standard silver production. Other than some table contact wear to the bead rattail (including a perpendicular fracture that is not structural), the spoon is in fine condition with a good unworn bowl.