A William and Mary sterling silver saucer, London 1689 by John Sutton (free 19th Feb 1668)

After the Charles I model. Of dished circular form with a scalloped edge. The twin handles formed as scallop shells. The edges with repoussé decoration of stylised scrolling organic form with punchwork edges, the centre with concentric bands of repoussé roundels and ovoids between punch work bands, the centre with a repoussé vacant shield shape cartouche. Fully marked to the right of one handle.

Length – 24.4 cm / 9.65 inches

Weight – 228 grams / 7.33 ozt

This saucer produced some fifty years after these twin handled dishes were typically made in the 1630's was most likely made to replace a lost or damaged example. William Maddox was the silversmith who specialised in the production of these saucers in the early 17th century.

John Sutton was apprenticed to John Winterton for seven years on the 8^th Feb 1661 being turned over to Arthur Mainwaring and free by service 19^th Feb 1668.

In March 1671 he complained to Goldsmiths Hall of a bowl “with Mr Graye’s mark upon it, unduly charged in the potkin & the bottomplate’. This is most likely John Gray, for a tankard by John Gray please see the following lot. For the 1692 poll tax he was assessed with a wife, two menservants and a maidservant, where he paid an extra 10s per quarter as he net worth was in excess of £300. He bound thirteen apprentices between 1668-1699. For the Goldsmiths company he was elected to the livery in 1674 and paid to become to an assistant in 1687, touchwarden in 1696, third warden in 1701, second warden in 1703 and finally prime warden in 1707. The first plateworker to achieve being prime warden as opposed to a banker goldsmith in the early 18^th century.