Swedish Crown top christening spoon

[joho]

Hi all. I have always presumed that this spoon, which I have had for a few years, is a 19th/20th century reproduction of an early Swedish/Scandinavian spoon. However, having looked at the hallmarks again recently I am wondering whether it could be older than I initially thought. The marks are stamped to the back of the flat stem and are somewhat rubbed. One looks like a crown, the other possibly an R. There is also a deliberate looking straight line engraved below the marks. Could this be an assay scrape? There are also traces of gilding between the horizontal mouldings on the stem. The spoon has been over polished and it looks like engraving to the back of the bowl has been polished off!! It is about 12.5cm long and is quite heavy, weighing 50 grams. Would be grateful for any opinions. Many thanks. John

[Qrt.S]

Your asking for an opinion… Well, my opinion is that this is a rather difficult case. Anyway, by trying to eliminate what country of origin it cannot be (probably not...) gives the following result: First of all, like you said, it can be a newly made copy, but it can also be an old renaissance spoon from around the turn of the century 1500-1600. Making judgements based on a picture only is not so easy. You need to see and have it “in flesh”.
Nonetheless, in Norway there was a Bergen master Rørich Giligsen/Jeliszen 1586-1620 who marked with an R in a rather similar shield. There was also an other master in Skien in Norway marking with an R in a shield somehow similar like on your spoon. His name was Rasmus S???? 1611-1631/36.
The problem, however, is the crowned F or E...(?). It doesn’t “match” with Norway at all...but as said; speculations, speculations this gloomy afternoon! Can’t do any better...sorry!

By the way, why do you call it a christening spoon? It is an ordinary spoon.

[joho]

Thank you very much for your sharing your opinions Qrt.S.

You have pointed me in the direction of Norway, which I had not considered before and I have found a little more information. In "Gammalt Solv i Stavanger amt" there is a similar spoon, in particular, the engraving in the bowl. On cross-referencing the number of the spoon (nr 9 in the book), I have found the silversmith (nr 9) Rasmus Aamundsen (1627). Unfortunately, I cannot find his mark in the book. So maybe not of any significance!

I have attached some pics from the book. Apologies for the poor quality.
Thanks again.
John

[Qrt.S]

The Rasmus I referred to lived in Skien and not in Stavanger. Besides his surname begins with S. In addition, please read the text for your Stavanger Rasmus. It says that: "Av ham kjendes for tiden intet arbeite." If Norwegian is unfamiliar to you its says that no known work made by him are currently known and also that he was less fortunate.... Therefore his mark is not either known. I found him in my sources too by the name of Rasmus Aamunsen/Ommundsen active around 1619/20-1625-30 in Stavanger. I don't think he is the man we are looking for even if Skien is not so far from Stavanger. However, the picture you show has many similarities with your spoon.....interesting.

[joho]

My apologies Qrt.s, my Norwegian is non-existant and I misunderstood the text and I can now see that Rasmus is not likely to be our man !

However, on the next page there is a commentary on the spoon that has similarities to mine, with references to Skien hallmarks and also to an unknown master's mark R !! See below. Maybe there is some connection here.

Thanks
John

[joho]

The Skien marks 192 and 195.

John

[Qrt.S]

We found the maker! You see, your text on page 71 says “Silverspoon (crowned) …….:Marked with Skien’s town mark (192) and the unknown maker’s mark R (195), length 11.5 blade 5,4 cm...” More or less the same information is found in my much newer book than yours and, in addition, the name Rasmus S…? and my earlier mentioned (working) years (Norsk Sølv Gullsmeder gjennom 600 år. Author Jorun Fossberg 2003.

Looking again on the town mark on your spoon reveals that it is actually not the letter “F” but “S”.

Congratulations, you have a nice old Norwegian spoon.

[joho]

Great outcome!! Enjoyed the detective work.

Thank you Qrt.s for sharing your knowledge and for all your help.
John