Transitional Silver Basting Spoon, 1709 by Mary Mathew

This is a fabulous 12.5" long silver basting spoon in a transitional style between the outgoing Dog Nose pattern and the incoming new fashion of Hanoverian Rattail; the front stem of the spoon has a flatter and wider profile than later examples.

Made from Britannia Standard silver and bearing appropriate London hallmarks, this spoon includes a clear widow's lozenge mark for Mary Mathew and a part-worn but legible date letter for 1709. The reverse side of the terminal is beautifully engraved with a contemporary mirrored "S" cipher in block script.

This excellent Queen Anne period spoon is in fine condition with good, antique patina.

Mary Mathew was the widow of the premier specialist spoonmaker William Mathew who died in 1707. Presumably, Mary managed the family business whilst their son William II completed his apprenticeship and entered his first mark at Goldsmiths Hall in 1711.