This 1694 London trefid spoon has what I believe to be a makers mark of IC below a crown (pellet below the initials). Jackson’s appears to show this mark seen around the same date on 3 pieces of silver, none of which are spoons. The maker’s name is not attributed; does anyone have any suggestions as to a possible candidate?
Many thanks for any help or suggestions.
JOHN CORY
John Cory, son of Thomas Cory, London and Warminster goldsmith and plateworker. John, free by patrimony 1687, inherited his father’s business in 1689 in partnership with his mother, for a period of 6 years. Livery c. 1690. Britannia Standard mark 1697. John bound 2 apprentices in 1692 and 1694, George Reeve and John Sherley; a third William Hinton was turned over to him 1692.
Lyon & Turnbull auction report - The Silver Society
Thank you my friend, it indeed seems the most likely candidate.
John Cory was a talented Warminster-trained West Country silversmith producing both flatware and hollow ware and submitting it to the London goldsmiths for assay both as Britannia and Sterling silver.
Here’s another spoon with what may be his Britannia mark:
The Britannia Silver Standard was mandated by Parliament in 1697 to address silver coin clipping and melting. The higher purity made it less susceptible to clipping and also allowed for export to France, where a .950 standard was used.
As you can see Britannia silver was marked with the figure of Britannia and a lion’s head erased, with a jagged neckline. The lion passant or walking lion, hallmark of Sterling silver was discontinued.
Todays coin collectors are used to getting severely clipped coins starting with the Elizabethan period. The silversmiths were the main malefactors. They were not only clipped coins but were buying them and melting them down as a melt was higher than face.
In Canada from 1957 to 1965 this was also true. I used to convert my paycheque into coins at the Canadian bank and drive the proceeds across the river to sell to the Franklin Mint for a 33% premium. All went well until the weight of coin on the floor of my ageing Datsun collapsed under the weight of coin and I manage to cover the Detroit Windsor tunnel with silver. Like Lucy I had some ‘splainin’ to do.
Anyway back when Cory was 'smithing, the softer Britannia silver made it difficult to work with for certain types of work. The higher cost of production and the desire to return to the more robust Sterling standard led to its reintroduction in 1720.
While Sterling silver became the primary standard, Britannia silver continued to be used as a voluntary, higher standard much prized by late 19th early 20th century makers by which time silver was inexpensive.
Here’s a. better Britannia mark by Cory. This porringer eventually sold at auction for 450 pounds.
To cheer you up there’s the earlier Sterling child’s mug offered for sale by Wax. (op cit. MB)
The notes are very interesting:
“It is unusual to have a maker’s name for a piece of silver of this early date as there are no precise records of silver makers’ marks prior to 1697. All records were destroyed in the fire at Goldsmiths Hall in 1681. From 1697 onwards Goldsmiths Hall has preserved a complete record of workmen’s marks, addresses, together with their names and the dates. Sometimes the details of makers can be discovered from old records such as the inventories of noble houses and other institutions. The first surviving record at Goldsmiths Hall is the 1682 copper plate made to start the recording process again. A recent study by Dr David Mitchell, supported by Goldsmiths Hall, resulted in the publication of his 2017 “Silversmiths in Elizabethan and Stuart London” which identifies previously unknown makers marks and assigns marks struck on existing plate to individuals (attributions for 540 separate marks).”
Contemporaries of Cory, also apprenticed to his Dad in Warminster included John Murch who became an extremely reliable west country spoon maker. Tim Kent refers to him in his " Tale of two West Countrymen"
I cite the link not just for the reference to John’s goldsmith forebears but as there is no better on line place to read about spoons than The Finial. There are three printed texts all dedicated to the subject.
Worth reminding ourselves spoons in the 17th century were largely personal property not something you’d find on the dinner table when you arrived as guest. Although in wealthier households you might. Forks were gradually replacing knife points as ways of picking up meat morsels. So you came with your own knife or dagger and spoon and ate off a trencher. Either a wooden plate or just a slab of bread. Oh and you might easily had drank out of a pegged mug with a whistle for a handle to call for more community ale.
Disease was one thing otherwise rather tight fisted English and Scots were willing to share liberally both with each other and later when they discovered it helped sort out who owned Terra Nullius (RC label for any land they didn’t already have their mitts on) with everybody else.
You haven’t asked about pricing on these early spoons but I think it is fair to say I was paying more in relative terms for west country and London spoons thirty years ago than I am today.
Generally supply and demand with the additional variables of provenance and rarity of maker determines price of all “antique” market items including silver.
But on silver spoon the needle hasn’t really moved.
Here’s a 20-year time search of auction houses listed on this particular website for dog nose spoons:
Our best hope seems to be Mr Trump whose market strategies seem to necessitate inflation which should push spot to Bunker Hunt territory and beyond.
But the market for antiquities isn’t really driven by melt price and you’d probably be better buying .999 silver ingots.
But anything you have hang onto, it certainly isn’t going down so long as the tax and spend boys and gals rule the political roost.
CRWW
Great info as usual Mr Wilson, and re the Finial, the guy who edits it and contributes, Daniel Bexfield, has some really beautiful stuff in his shop in Covent Garden.
