THE SPOON

From Elizabeth to the late Georges the range of spoons is a long one, and comprehends, in the early days, classes that are prohibitive in price for the pocket of the average collector. There are spoons and spoons. From the early elaborations in Apostle, or Maidenhead, or lion-sejant forms to the later styles of rat-tail teaspoon or the fanciful caddy-spoon there is choice enough to suit the idiosyncrasies of most collectors. Indeed, it may be said that the collecting of spoons is a thing apart. Silversmiths themselves became specialists when they made spoons; the craftsmen were on a plane by themselves, and so it comes to pass that the collector, following in their wake a couple of centuries afterwards or more, has to give special study to this branch of silver plate.

It is not necessary, to trace the antiquity of the spoon, to revert to Roman days, to enumerate what has been found in Saxon graves, or to wander through the mediÆval period to show the use and development of the spoon. It is sufficient, in the present volume, to take spoons as found in the realm of collecting.

Practically this may be said to begin at the reign of Elizabeth, though in 1903 a set of thirteen apostle spoons was sold at Christie’s, of the reign of Henry VIII and having the London hall-mark for 1536, for £4,900. But this is sensational.

There is no doubt that the most popular spoon of the Tudor period, that is including the reigns of Henry VII (1485-1509), Henry VIII (1509-47), Edward VI (1547-53), Mary (1553-58), and Elizabeth (1558-1603), was the well-known apostle spoon. It is rare to find any examples before 1500. The oldest known is dated 1493. They were called apostle spoons because each spoon was surmounted with a figure of one of the apostles with his customary emblems, such as St. Peter with the key, St. John with the cup of sorrow, etc. They were thirteen in number to make a complete set—that is, the twelve apostles and the Master spoon, bearing an image of Jesus Christ, although the thirteenth in some cases was St. Paul. The study of apostle spoons does not begin or end with English silver. They originated on the Continent, and the goldsmiths of Nuremburg and of Paris, of Milan and of Madrid, fashioned them in like form, each according to the traditions and technique of his school.

It was apparently the custom in Tudor days to offer a set of these spoons, or, if the donor were less rich, a fewer number, as a christening gift. Sometimes only four were given, representing the four evangelists. In modern days the gift of a christening spoon still continues, though the spoon is shorn of its former apostle head. There are many passages in the old English authors referring to this custom, and numerous references in old wills bequeathing sets of these apostle spoons as heirlooms. In Shakespeare’s Henry VIII, v. 2, Cranmer, who declares his unworthiness to act as sponsor—is met with the rebuke from the King: “Come, come, my lord, you’d spare your spoons.”

It is interesting to note the emblems usually found associated with the different apostles. The following list will enable the collector to identify the one from the other:—

• St. Peter—with a key or a fish.
• St. Thomas—a carpenter’s square or a spear.
• St. Andrew—a transverse or saltire cross, on which he suffered martyrdom.
• St. John—a cup with a winged serpent.
• St. Philip—a cross of varying form, usually on a long staff.
• St. Bartholomew—a large knife, because he was flayed in his martyrdom.
• St. Matthew—a wallet or purse, or sometimes a spear or an axe.
• St. Jude—a lance or a saw; sometimes a club.
• St. James the Great—a pilgrim’s staff, as pioneer missionary.
• St. Matthias—a halbert or an axe.
• St. James the Less—a fuller’s pole, because he was killed by a blow on the head dealt him by Simeon the fuller.
• St. Simon Zelotes—a saw, in allusion to his martyrdom.

The thirteenth is either St. Paul with a sword, or the Master spoon, with orb and cross and hand raised in blessing. Sometimes Judas Iscariot takes his place in lieu of one of the others, usually of St. Matthew with the purse; and St. Mark, in some sets, replaces St. Simon; and St. Luke occurs in lieu of St. Matthias in others.

There is no doubt that apostle spoons have been largely sought after by collectors as something desirable and antique. They have accordingly been manufactured by the thousand to meet such a demand, and young collectors cannot be too careful in accepting authenticity by word of mouth from any seller. There are always the museum examples for ready reference. They are in glass cases easy of access, and a close inspection can be made at the Victoria and Albert Museum, which is little short of actually handling the specimens. This remark applies equally to seal-top and other older forms of spoons not frequently handled by the beginner.

Sets of thirteen apostle spoons are very rare. There is Archbishop Parker’s set at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and including the rare Master spoon and also St. Paul with a sword, which spoon bears the date mark for 1515, while the others are hall-marked 1566. There is the Swettenham set, which belonged to the Cheshire family of that name, hall-marked 1617. The Goldsmiths’ Company have a set with the hall-mark 1626, which was presented to them some years ago by Mr. George Lambert.

We illustrate two examples of apostle spoons, one made at Exeter in 1674, representing St. Simon Zelotes (p. 189), and the other made in London in 1648, with the figure of St. Andrew with the saltire cross (p. 185).

Single specimens can be obtained, though prices range high; what could be procured for £5 ten years ago now fetches £30. Whether the war will bring prices down remains to be seen. Sixteenth-century apostle spoons realize from £30 to £90 under the hammer, according to style, age, condition, and other determining factors. Earlier spoons than the sixteenth century bring higher prices, anything from £50 to £100.

The Seal-top Spoon

Contemporary with the apostle spoons were other types. The terms now applied to them are purely collectors’ names. There was the acorn terminal, the seated lion with a shield (lion sejant), the seated owl, the pineapple, the mitre, and the head of the Virgin, which continued for a long period and is now known as the Maidenhead variety. But the most common was the seal-top with baluster ornament, which form lasted well into the seventeenth century. We illustrate an example with the London hall-mark for 1652. It will be noticed that the hall-mark appears in the bowl of the spoon. This is the leopard’s head, and may be observed in all early spoons of the apostle and kindred classes.

The Slipped-stalk Spoon

During the reign of Charles I (1625-49) the bowl of the spoon began to take different proportions, and to depart from the pear-like form. It became more oval and narrower at the base and wider near the stem. But in regard to evolution of form, the modern spoon, as is readily seen, is an inversion of the bowl. It is egg-shaped, but the narrowest part is now away from the handle, whereas formerly the narrowest part was joined to the handle. All the sixteenth and seventeenth century spoons show the old form and the later spoons show the opposite. The innovation is shown in the illustration, given on page 185, of early eighteenth-century examples.

The slipped-stalk spoon was simply a radical departure from excessive ornament. It may have been on account of religious motives, it may have been by reason of economy. Obviously such a spoon cost less to produce without its terminal figure. Hence we have the slipped-in-the-stalk variety which was cut off transversely as shown in the illustration (p. 181) of an example dated 1651, during the Civil War, which form readily developed into the so-called Puritan spoon with plain, flat handle, which shortly exhibited wider ends. Of this style two examples are illustrated (p. 181).

The Trifid Spoon

This style was a passing fashion. It is obvious that such a shape with split ends was not for posterity. The design was not pleasing nor was the form utilitarian. The example illustrated (p. 185) was made at Newcastle in 1703, and is marked with the figure of Britannia and the lion’s head erased. The adjacent illustration with the London hall-mark of the same date shows the form which was calculated to last for a longer period. The beginning of the eighteenth century shows the attempt of the spoon-maker to invent new forms. The Exeter example of trifid form with the hall-mark for 1712 exhibits the rat’s-tail back, merely a device in technique to strengthen the bowl, although this is found as early as 1670. In 1750 this rat-tail at the back became shorter and was known as a “crop.” Its purpose was the same, to strengthen the handle in its juncture with the bowl.

Various varieties claimed recognition for the moment. They were ornamental and essayed to fix new styles, but their day was short. They stand now as collectors’ examples. The lobed end specimen illustrated (p. 189) shows this type with ornament on the back of the bowl, which still retains its rat-tail form in subjection. It is now merely an ornament or a relic of a former style, as the handle ends abruptly and somewhat clumsily before the rat-tail commences as an adjunct or ornament. Such a fashion was not destined to live long. This has the London hall-mark for the year 1679.

The modern spoon comes in process of evolution from these earlier forms. The straight stem of apostle or seal-top days was still retained in the flat Puritan form. We have seen that the bowl underwent a change in form, but the stem or handle similarly was the subject of inventive caprice. It became “wavy” in form in the time of William III. The Queen Anne type, apart from its pronounced rat-tail back, became developed in the reign of George I into a type which may be termed the Hanoverian spoon. The outline of the end is continued in a curve without a break. This is the new form which has continued to the present day. Whatever ornament was introduced, whether as additional to the bowl or to the handle, the form became established.

Simultaneously with this form, simple and utilitarian, was what is termed the “old English,” which is found in the middle of the eighteenth century. The handle was bent back and the rat-tail became a crop.

The fiddle pattern in common use to-day was a late eighteenth-century innovation. There is nothing beautiful in the ears of the fiddle pattern, which might well be lopped off.

It will be seen that the history of spoons is a long one and complicated by fashions. Nor is the study lightened by the various usages to which spoons may be put. It may readily be imagined that the use of coffee and tea brought the small spoon into commoner use. To-day the dainty spoon at five o’clock tea is a modern usage. But there is some suggestion that in eighteenth-century days the spoon of fashion was trivial in character in comparison with the larger spoons in use.

Pope, the man of the town and depicter of the beau monde, has the lines:

suggesting the dilettante late at breakfast. Evidently the spoons were at that date made for toying and corresponded with our modern tea and coffee spoons.

Something should be said of the manner of marking spoons. The positions of the hall-marks are worthy of the collector’s notice. Before the Restoration, and for some time afterwards, the leopard’s head was placed inside the bowl, as is shown in the illustrations we give of various examples. During the reign of Charles II the style of marking may be said to be transitional. In the early years some examples have all the marks on the handle. Even towards the last years of the reign other examples have the leopard’s head in the bowl and the rest of the marks on the handle. After this the marks appear on the handle, and about 1781 they were placed at the end of the handle instead of close to the bowl, as was the former practice.

SALE PRICES

APOSTLE SPOONS.

SEAL-TOP SPOONS.

CADDY-SPOONS.