Lot 423
A pair of James II / William & Mary transitional Trefid / Dognosed spoons
Auction: 30 November 2011 at 11:00 GMT
Description
James Cockburn of Edinburgh circa 1690, assay master J Borthwick, marked IC (in monogram) lion mask?, B, of wide terminalled dog nose pattern with later script initial M to reverse of terminal, the bowls with ribbed rat tails (2)
Dimensions
19.5cm long, 67.1g and 81.2g
Footnote
Provenance:
Messer's Crichton, Edinburgh
Christies London 25th July 1973 lot 193
Private Collection
Footnote:
While the marks struck to these spoons are without doubt unusual it is interesting to note that they are first recorded by Sir Charles Jackson in 'English Goldsmiths and Their Marks', when owned by Edinburgh silversmiths Crichton and seen in conjunction with a 1682-83 date letter 'b'. There seems little explanation for what appears to be a deliberate attempt to copy an official London town mark as the statutes in Scotland and their marks were well established by this time. When these spoons previously appeared on the market there was discussion that there had been some confusion in the implementation of the new date letter cycle in 1681 (much like with the 'ABC' mark found in Aberdeen) and the thought that a London style town mark was needed, this seems highly unlikely.
While slightly rubbed, but showing all the characteristics of a leopards head, it is also obvious that Jackson considered this mark to be a leopard as it is shown much clearer in his illustration.
References:
English Goldsmiths and Their Marks, a history of the Goldsmiths and Plate Workers of England, Scotland and Ireland' Dover edition page 500