St Matthias Silver Apostle Spoon, 1606 Cawdell

With its superb figure of St Matthias to the finial, this is a first class example of an early James I silver apostle spoon.

The spoon was made by William Cawdell and is of the very highest quality. It has a great feel in the hand and the detail to the large figural finial at the terminal of the hexagonal stem is first class. St Matthias is recognised by a battle axe that was used for his decapitation. The nimbus above his head is decorated with the dove representing the Holy Spirit descending from heaven at Jesus's baptism.

The spoon is in fantastic condition with an excellent unworn, fig-shaped bowl that retains its original rim and crisp detail to the apostle that includes visible facial features. The spoon has a fine, antique patina and clear London hallmarks including the "C" enclosing a "w" mark for the maker.

William Cawdell was the most important spoonmaker of the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was apprenticed to Patrick Brue in 1576 and was an important link in the master/apprenticeship dynasty of London spoonmakers.His output was prolific and the quality of his spoons were the best of the late Tudor and James I periods. His distinctive style of maker's mark was later copied by his apprentices (James Cluatt, Martin Cottrell and John Jermyn) that succeeded him.