Good day, friends. I have here a Dutch tablespoon made in 1853 by silversmith Volkert Brouwer, upon which the initials A and B, with a symbol in between them looking like a stylized ampersand, has been engraved. Please see pic. Being of the Hanoverian pattern, the spoon is traditionally laid upside down on the table, so that the engraved initials can be viewed by the guest.
Would you support me in assuming that this monograph represents a wedding gift, and secondly that the A refers to the bridegroom’s first name and the B to that of the bride? As in (say) Anne & Barry. I suppose further that this tablespoon (which in the Netherlands might have served as a porridge spoon) could be one of a set of six or twelve spoons, all engraved the same. Or maybe a whole service, had money not been an obstacle!
Or perhaps I’m on the wrong track? Please advise, friends.
Regards
Jan
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AB intertwined is most likely a single name monogram rather than a couple.
Silver for weddings until the 20th century bowed to the concept that women’s rights were submerged in the male when they married. Until the Married Women’s Property Act in most common law countries females lost all property rights even to separate dower rights
I am not an expert on Dutch matrimonial law in the 19th century and earlier so would concede the floor to anyone who might be more precise.
But, if I might make general comment, you might want to show the entire spoon and the marks upon it to get a more broad-based response.
CRWW
PS The exception to this rule is West Country silver where two sets of initials often appear on Exeter registered silver.
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I also realise I have ducked the question which is, would the Dutch have used an ampersand to conjoin two initials belonging to a married couple?
I find its use, remember it is the combined letters “e” and “t” mostly for business in the Lowlands. So perhaps not.
Also the part of the letters you draw our attention to would be a rather poorly drawn ampersand, sort of upside down and incomplete!
So “no” based on form and general use added to, I have now looked it up, and
“…married women in the Netherlands gained separate legal rights, including the ability to control their own property and finances, when the Act abolishing the legal incapacity of married women took effect on January 1, 1957.”
Wow.
CRWW
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Thanks for coming in on this, Chris. I must agree that the funny symbol between the two initials in no way fits the ‘ampersand’ bill. But might it not be a stylized ‘plus’ sign? That would serve to connect the two initials into a marriage bond, if you would permit my imagination getting the better of me!
Whether the bridegroom is at left and the bride at right, or the other way round, is unclear to me.
At the moment I cannot see any other reason for putting that little sign between the initials, other than the marriage connection. Please help!
Regards
Jan
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I suppose the reason for it would be it is part of the “B” letter although not physically joined.
CRWW
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