An impressive early Queen Anne hash spoon
£5,500
Auction: 16 August 2010 at 15:00 BST
Description
by Colin McKenzie, Edinburgh 1703 - 1704, Assay Master James Penman, of transitional variant of Dog Nosed pattern with wide terminal with moulded central section, the obverse of the stem engraved 'M / NM/ LD' and the reverse engraved with script initial D, the large bowl with large slender pronounced rattail
Dimensions
43.5cm long, 12oz
Footnote
Notes: This hash spoon is remarkable on many counts, not only its extraordinary size and weight but also its early manufacture and design.
This is the earliest recorded hash spoon in Scotland with the next confirmed examples both dating to 1707 - 1708 (by Mungo Yorstoun and James Tait of Edinburgh), placing this the earliest by four years. Also the size and weight of the spoon is unusual with it being almost twice as heavy and a third heavier respectively than the next two recorded examples. And when considered alongside the more standard table spoons of the period (with an average weight of around 2oz) is six times heavier.
This large size has also necessitated slight changes in design to allow for the proportions, firstly the moulded central point to the terminal appears to be so that the spoon balances when displayed on a table to show hallmarks (as fashion of the period dictated) and secondly the long and muscular nature of the rattail to support the large deep bowl.
Although the date letter struck to this piece is very worn, there can be little doubt to the attribution. From the remaining outline of the punch it is obviously a shaped cartouche and not a straight sided punch, this combined with the clear Assay Masters mark of James Penman must place it to 1704 or earlier, as his tenure as Assay Master ends in 1707, and straight sided date letter punches are started in 1705.
References:
'Compendium of Scottish Silver II' R & J Dietert, illustrated plate 30, listed page 283