Coffin End Spoon

[silverly]

When I began doing this post I just wanted to see if anyone recognized the maker's mark. Once I enlarged the images I noticed two semi circles on the heal of the spoon inside the rough red encirclement which gives me the impression that the spoon is continental. Help of any kind will be very much appreciated.

[Aguest]

:::::::: Do you think it could be Robert Brookhouse? ::::::::::::

:::::::: "He worked in 1800-1819 as a silversmith in Salem MA from a shop on Essex Street. He sold his business to Edward Farley on 23 March 1819 and became a trader in general goods." ::::::::::

[silverly]

Great! I truly did not expect this spoon to be American and again because of the two semi circle lines on the heal of the spoon. Definitely something I'm used to seeing on continental spoons. Here's what should be a better image of the lines:

[Aguest]

::::: A few of the American Colonial silver spoons I have had over the years had drops that reminded me of various other European countries. :::::::
::::: I found an example of a Robert Brookhouse teaspoon with a "double triangle" drop, similar to your semi-circles. :::::::

[silverly]

I'd like to see more examples of inscribed markings on the heal of American spoons, but the mark seems pretty good for Brookhouse, so either way thanks again.

[Aguest]

::::::: One unusual drop was by Jacob Mohler a silversmith and clockmaker from Baltimore, Maryland and even though this drop is not inscribed, it was unusual enough to make me think that it might actually be a continental European spoon. :::::



::::::: I will try to find more examples of inscribed drops from American Colonial silver spoons, it seems like you specifically are researching these spoons :::::::

[silverly]

it seems like you specifically are researching these spoons :::::::

I am interested in the incised drops just because they seem to be so much more prevalent on European flatware. At the same time I do realizes that practices among craftsman did transfer to this country from around the world. So I'll just have to keep looking.

[wev]

Incised drops are not as common on American spoons as swaged drops, but are not uncommon, either. In my collection, they number around 15%. They are in a variety of forms -- arch, pointed arch, spade, oval, crescent, coffin, square, etc. by many different makers from the 1790s to the 1850s.
Interestingly, I have a number of serving, place, and teaspoons by Brookhouse and none of them have a drop of any sort.

[wev]

I did a quick sort of my records and found around 150 examples:
arch, engraved
coffin, engraved
crescent, engraved
oval, engraved
pointed arch, engraved
pointed arch, wigglework engraved
pointed arch, two line engraved
pointed, wigglework engraved
pointed, engraved
pointed, roulette engraved
pointed, two line engraved
round, engraved
round, two line engraved
spade, engraved
square, engraved
wide arch, engraved
wide cresent, engraved
wide oval, engraved
wide pointed, engraved
wide spade, engraved

[silverly]

Thank you wev. I’ve just been looking at a couple of Robert Brookhouse coffin end spoons that are up for auction, and they vaguely look like they have the beginnings of crescents inscribed on their heals.

[Aguest]

::::: Is all the engraving done on the drop of the spoon? Are there any elaborately engraved spoons that could be described as "engraved picture back" spoons, kind of like regular picture-back spoons, but the silversmith uses engraving to make a picture? ::::::

::::: That square-drop spoon must look unusual, can't recall ever seeing a square-drop spoon. :::::::