LONDON, 1490, MAKER'S MARK SLIGHTLY OVERSTRIKING THE DATE LETTER, TRADITIONALLY DESCRIBED AS A GOTHIC L

Details

A HENRY VII SILVER APOSTLE SPOON
LONDON, 1490, MAKER'S MARK SLIGHTLY OVERSTRIKING THE DATE LETTER, TRADITIONALLY DESCRIBED AS A GOTHIC L
The fig-shaped bowl with facetted slightly tapering handle, terminating in a finial cast as St James the Less, holding in his left hand the fullers bat, supported on a waisted and reeded pediment, the circular nimbus engraved with rays, marked in the bowl with leopard's head, the back of the handle with date letter and maker's mark
7 1/8 in. (18.2 cm.) long
1 oz. 9 dwt. (45 gr.)

Provenance

The Benson Collection, probably acquired after 1957.

Literature

D. J. E. Constable, The Benson Collection of Early Silver Spoons, Golden Cross, 2012, pp. 79-81, no. 26.

Exhibited

On loan to the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, 2006-2012.

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Lot Essay

This apostle spoon is one of six which were believed by Commander and Mrs How to have originally been from a set which are recorded as the earliest apostle spoons marked with a full set of London hallmarks.

The other known examples from the set are as follows:

The Master:
The Collection of Sir Thomas Drew.

?St. Jude:
Mr. L. West; Christie's, London, 28 April 1910, Lot 67.
J. P. Morgan, 1937 inventory.
The Morgan Collection; Christie's, New York, 26 October 1982, lot 59.
How, op. cit., vol. 2, p. 50, pl. 3.
Sir Charles Jackson, The History of Old English Plate, London, 1967 ed., vol. 2, p. 503, figs. 614-617).

St. Andrew:
The Staniforth Collection.
The Jackson Collection, National Museum of Wales, Cardiff.
How, op. cit. vol. 2, p. 48.

?St. Simon Zelotes:
probably Christie's, London, 5 June 1928, lot 94.
Asprey, exhibited, London, Antique Dealer's Fair, London, 1947.
How, op. cit. vol. 2 , p. 48.

St. James the Greater:
The Stirling Maxwell Collection.
Christie's, London, 14 July 1993, lot 114.

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