Antique English sterling silver table serving spoon by John Muns, date letter a little indistinct but it is London 1764.
Very slight rounding of bowls tip and some loss of definition to the shell back decoration.
No other damage or repairs to this nice example.
Measures 206mm in length.
1 in stock
Antique English sterling silver table serving spoon by John Muns, date letter a little indistinct but it is London 1764.
Very slight rounding of bowls tip and some loss of definition to the shell back decoration.
No other damage or repairs to this nice example.
Measures 206mm in length.
| DATE | 1764 |
| MAKER or SPONSOR MARK | John Muns |
| ASSAY OFFICE | London |
| WEIGHT (Grammes) | 71 |
| WEIGHT (Troy) | 2.28 |
| REF:- | 40W |
In the days before mass production items made from metal were regarded as treasures. Eating utensils were often made from wood and metal was reserved for more robust uses. However, in the colonial period a silver spoon became an incredibly practical item to own and had a multitude of uses.
Spoons are among the oldest eating utensils although there are many different types of spoon throughout the world. Spoons preceded knives and forks and were the main utensil at mealtimes.
In the 17th century, people who could afford them, had their own spoons and would bring them to a meal wherever that was being eaten. Furthermore, the influx of wealth from the colonies led to the expansion of the middle classes and they began to realise that they too could own silver spoons.
Silver spoons were helpful in avoiding poisons as they would tarnish on contact with sulphur, arsenic, and other dangerous compounds. This was very useful in a time when testing for poison wasn’t always possible and food hygiene was unheard of.
Silver spoons were often included in a bride’s dowry and also became gifts that marked huge life events like birth or marriage. The tradition of a sterling silver baby spoon continued well into the 20th century.
It wasn’t until the 19th century that entire sets of silverware in sterling silver became the status symbols they can now be regarded as and serving spoons were a vital part of the set.
| Origin | English |
|---|---|
| Period | George III 1760-1820 |
| Sponsor/Maker | John Muns |
| REF CODE | 40W |
Situated within the Central belt of Scotland (UK), we are a small, family run business. Indeed, we traded in silver for many years before forming Dart Silver Ltd in 2006.
As we are collectors ourselves, we fully appreciate that money is hard earned! For this reason we therefore try to provide informative descriptions as well as high quality photographic images of all our items. Hopefully this will make your purchase as smooth as possible.
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While we obviously have to make a living, we strive very hard to offer goods at competitive prices. In many instances this is at large discounts compared to other dealers or traders.
Above all, we very much appreciate your decision to stop by for a visit and thank you in advance should you decide to shop with us. Even if you don’t make a purchase this time, please feel free to stop by again soon as we regularly add new stock items.
Situated within the Central belt of Scotland (UK), we are a small, family run business. Indeed, we traded in silver for many years before forming Dart Silver Ltd in 2006.
