A Charles II sterling silver spoon, London 1673 by John Smith (free c. 1654, d c. 1690)

A Charles II sterling silver spoon, London 1673 by John Smith (free c. 1654, d c. 1690)

Trefid pattern, an oval bowl with moulded rat tail heel, the terminal prick dot engraved with contemporaneous initials SM. Fully marked.

Length – 18 cm / 7 inches

Weight – 37 grams / 1.19 ozt

This John Smith spoon maker, who was apprenticed to Richard Stonehill for eight years from 24^th August 1646 is likely the same John Smith who bound four apprentices who went one to become spoonmakers; Lawrence Coles (fee, 1667), William Mathew (free 1682), Walter Bradley (free 1689) and Jonathan Bradley (turned over to Lawrence Coles, above, free 1694).