A very rare pair of George III sterling silver tablespoons, London 1771 by Christopher Fly Woods and Thomas Filkin

A very rare pair of George III sterling silver tablespoons, London 1771 by Christopher Fly Woods and Thomas Filkin

Old English and Beaded edge pattern, single struck, virginal erased with single drop heel. Each fully marked. (2)

Length – 21 cm / 8.25 inches

Weight – 140 grams / 4.5 ozt

Christopher Fly Woods (1746-1807), a rarely encountered maker, apprenticed to Paul Callard and was his son-in-law, from his marriage to Marqueritte Callard (b.1749). He inherited the business of Paul Callard (d. 1768) and Isaac Callard (d.c. 1770). He is recorded as being a spoon maker in partnership with Thomas Filkin in Battersea in the 1772 parliamentary report. This is mark is not recorded in Grimwade, Woods’ mark alone registered on 12^th June 1775 as number 427 is extremely rarely encountered, thus one can assume this partnership mark is also as exhaustively rare. A tablespoon of 1775 by Christopher Fly Woods was sold these rooms, 23 June 2022, lot 411 (£125 incl. prem).