Possible Jan Jansen Olthof of Sneek spoon

[legrandmogol]

Hi, it's been a while but I have a couple of spoons that I need a little help with. This spoon I believe comes from Friesland as it only has the makers mark. The mark looks like the mark for Sneek silversmith of Jan Jansen Olthof but it does not quite match the mark in the book. I am also not used to seeing Friesian silver pieces with assay marks.

[oel]

Hi,

Herewith two images of the mark YO in monogram, attributed to Jan Jansen Olthof, one with a year letter S for 1626 (Source Zilverstudie.nl)

This one is shown in; Merken van Friesche goud-en zilversmeden by Elias Voet Jr.

The mark on your spoon;



The mark on your spoon, I believe is not of Jan Jansen Olthof and perhaps your spoon is not Frisian but Groninger, 17th century spoons made in Groningen often have a tremble(assay) mark. Your spoon shows an unknown maker's mark and is without combined Groninger town and yearletter mark. Your spoon with a fig-shaped bowl goes directly into the cast handle. The lower half of this, flat and with an engraved counted-money motif, merges via a profiled intermediate piece at the front into a stem, upper half twisted to the left. The stem is crowned by an ornament.Characteristic of many 17th-century Groninger spoon handles is the typical Renaissance 'counted-money' motif. It resembles a row of partly superimposed coins.

Source; Groninger Keur. Zilver uit Stad en Ommelanden by Dr Jean-Pierre van Rijen

[legrandmogol]

Thank Peter, at least I know now part of the story. I'll check some of my German sources as well just in case