posted 11-23-2013 11:16 AM            

Several years ago, I received lots of expert help in these forums with several pieces of silver that belonged to my grandmother, including a forgery of a British silver tankard and a German jardiniere. Since that time, I've bough a few coin spoons and have had fun identifying them using WEV's excellent American Silversmiths references. In my tiny collection, I have spoons by Amos Sanborn, A.A. Mead, and Bradbury Bailey.

Today, I bought this spoon at an estate sale because I rarely come across this style and the three sets of initials (two different sets on each side of the tail and one on the end of the handle) intrigued me. I would grateful for any assistance in identifying the maker of this spoon.

posted 11-23-2013 02:15 PM            

I don't recognize the mark, and can't confirm that it is American. Most commonly, Continental and some English Provincial/Colonial spoons of this style and period carried similarly configured maker's marks.

posted 11-23-2013 04:05 PM            

Judging from the style and engraving, do you think this spoon dates from 1700-1760?

posted 11-25-2013 11:05 AM            

Perhaps this thread can be moved to the Continental Silver section to see if anyone there is able to help identify the maker.

posted 11-25-2013 11:34 AM            

This thread has been moved from the American Silver Before Sterling Forum

posted 12-14-2013 07:05 AM            

And the S would represent the Word Son i.e. its a boy/man name. The code reads first letter persons fist name. Second letter is the father's name followed by Son.
The S (or D in case we talk a woman) is short for son (Daughter) and it can be origin a number of countries.
I have search Denmark and its not Danish. But a few countries are very possible in North.

From shape of spoon I would go as late as 1750. But could also be 1700

2 times identical makers mark is very common.

The prick engravement is probably the original owner. The letters on the lef could very well mean something else than owner. Could you write the letters ? from left to right (alternative take a Picture of letters)
The letters on the laf Cold be short for something. (could be a religious sentence in Latin first letter in the Word)
The inner side of laf - is it decorated?

Another thing - have you eaten Soup with this spoon? Your answer is most likely no. So I advice you to try to eat Soup with it. I have 2 rat tail spoons and naturally I have eaten with them. The laf is round - so its difficult to put it into the Mouth. And the rat-tail is unpleasant to the tongue. So conclusion is that they used spoons in another way around 1600/1700 the laf was not put into the mouth, but you sipped the Soup from the edge.

Later in time the laf became less round and longer. A larger laf meaning that you started eating in another way. The laf could then fit into the mouth. The laf was very large - later Again the laf became smaller.
Its not rocket science - but its fun to learn history and habits just by using the item.

posted 12-14-2013 10:03 PM            

The prick dot initials on the terminal end are indeed AJS. The initials on the bowl are GBM (left side) and KHD (right side). There are no marks of any kind inside the oval bowl.

I'm sure the maker could never have imagined his spoon would make the perfect avocado scooper! I also took your advice and had a bowl of pea soup sipped from the side of the bowl. Very nice!

posted 12-15-2013 03:20 AM            

GBM I carnt help thinking Gift By Marrige - but thats a long shoot. And Places it in English speeking. Where D for Daughter (dotter, datter, dottir) is a different tradition.