William & Mary Silver Trefid Spoon, 1692 by James Hallett

This is a large silver trefid spoon dating from the reign of William & Mary with an excellent set of hallmarks.

The spoon has a reeded rattail to the reverse side of the bowl and a typical three-lobed trefid finial.The stem is engraved with discreet "IE" original initials to the terminal and a very lightly engraved name adjacent and at right angles to it, plus a retailer's code next to the maker's mark. The spoon is in fine condition with the bowl tip just beginning to thin a little, although there is no loss of shape.

The reverse side is struck with a good set of London hallmarks that include an elaborate "IH" maker's mark that has not been conclusively ascribed but is most likely that of James Hallett. The style of the mark is akin to that of Lawrence Coles who was a specialist spoonmaker and master to James Hallett, the latter becoming free in 1674. Many apprentices followed in their master's footsteps when developing their own maker's mark. This is a rarely encountered maker's mark.

This is a great example of a William & Mary trefid spoon at a very competitive price!