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Hey Everyone:

This is my first post here so I hope I'm doing everything correctly and that I understand the rules I've read. Any critique or advice is welcomed.

Can anyone help me identify this spoon regarding maker, age, origin, etc.? I've been looking for months and can't seem to find anything.

Thanks in advance for any help or feedback.


BACK OF SPOON (above)


FRONT OF SPOON, TOP OF HANDLE (above)


LOOKS LIKE P & M TO ME (P AND M)... OR P SOMETHING M (above)


DESIGN ON HANDLE (above)


DESIGN ON HANDLE (above)

Besides the decorative work on the handle of the spoon, the P&M stamp, the etching of a lions head on a crown at the top, and a leaf-like design on the back of the spoon (in the first pic) seem to be the only markings. I don't see "STERLING" stamped anywhere but it looks and acts like silver. Then again I'm not an expert by any stretch.

Parry (Rowland) & Musgrave (James), Philadelphia 1792-1795.

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.
You have a very nice American spoon with an interesting decorated drop. I believe it is by Rowland Parry and James Musgrave. The following excerpt is from Ensko's "American silversmiths and Their Marks"

PARRY & MUSGRAVE 1793, Philadelphia, Pa., at 42 South Second Street, advertised until 1795, “elegant assortment”. Federal Gazette, November 10, “Jewellers, The Partnership of Parry & Musgrave is this day dissolved; all persons indebted to, or to whom have any demands on said firm, will please apply to James Musgrave, at the old stand, 42, south Second street, or to Rowland Parry, 36 Chestnut Street.”

There is a lovely gold mourning brooch by this firm in the Museum of Fine Arts,Boston :
http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/m ... och-457224

You may also find this post on drop decorated spoons of interest:
http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic ... 38&t=14352

Regards, Tom

wev wrote:Parry (Rowland) & Musgrave (James), Philadelphia 1792-1795.

Hi Wev

I wonder if I just wasn't looking quite hard enough? Both you and Tom seemed to have spilled it on the page like it was nothing! I thought I'd never find anything about this spoon. Thanks very much!

admin wrote:Hi,

Welcome to the forum.
You have a very nice American spoon with an interesting decorated drop. I believe it is by Rowland Parry and James Musgrave. The following excerpt is from Ensko's "American silversmiths and Their Marks"

PARRY & MUSGRAVE 1793, Philadelphia, Pa., at 42 South Second Street, advertised until 1795, “elegant assortment”. Federal Gazette, November 10, “Jewellers, The Partnership of Parry & Musgrave is this day dissolved; all persons indebted to, or to whom have any demands on said firm, will please apply to James Musgrave, at the old stand, 42, south Second street, or to Rowland Parry, 36 Chestnut Street.”

There is a lovely gold mourning brooch by this firm in the Museum of Fine Arts,Boston :
http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/m ... och-457224

You may also find this post on drop decorated spoons of interest:
http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic ... 38&t=14352

Regards, Tom

Thanks, Tom. And thanks for the links to those other spoons. They're all really cool, and some are just beautiful! cool I never knew spoons like that existed. They're works of art more than anything.

So I guess I won't be writing to either of those smiths...

I guess you have that book, Ensko's "American silversmiths and Their Marks." I can't believe that going to the library didn't occur to me... I think the internet has me hypnotized.

When you do get to the library you may find they don't have one anymore either. You wouldn't believe what they have dumped in the last 20 years. And it's all probably going to turn up in the book section of a local thrift store. Better hurry!