HWN? Struck 3 times, OE spoon with Scottish heel

[mk209]

This is a strange one, an Old English pattern tablespoon with a rounded Scottish style heel. Engraved with a typical flourished ‘D’ making me think it’s from the UK maybe at least but it’s had a ‘no’ to a Scottish provincial spoon so I’m at a loss where it could come from. It belonged in an old collection of Scottish provincial silver in Scotland for many years.




Matt

[mk209]

Despite all sorts of opinions on this from Chinese Export to Scandinavian and a resounding no it cannot be Scottish Provincial I’m certain this is Scottish or at least the silversmith was or apprenticed in Scotland.

The workmanship is so close in style to Edinburgh makers of the time (Alexander Henderson especially) and Dundee makers like Douglas. It’s not until you handle them side by side and feel them, look at the bowls, every detail then you are more sure of where they come from. The central ridge along the back is so typically Scottish. The bowl shape is so distinctive too. Comparing Hendersons spoons it’s as if he made it but clearly not.

My thoughts on this haven’t changed from the thoughts of somebody many years ago. I just somehow have to find out...........

[Aguest]

I tried for a long time to figure it out but I agree with you that the first place to look would be Scottish Provincial :: What's interesting is that it spells "HAIVEN" with letters combined with each other, so I was searching "STONEHAVEN" for a long time, I thought it was an older spelling of the word "HAVEN" :

The "Triple Stamp" spoons continue to confuse me :

[Aguest]

That should have been "HAIVN" sorry about that extra e :

[mk209]

You were thinking exactly along the lines of what went I through looking at all angles of where these 2 spoons could come from. I looked at the border too as North England was a possibilty but nothing yet.

William Chaffers wrote about a theory of the triple mark associated with the quality of silver. It was a marking process in Geneva. The lowest quality was just marked with the makers mark once.

The earliest triple marked spoon I have is by Richard Plint of Truro, a ratail of around 1715. It’s Britannia silver.

I somehow think I’ll never identify these 2 tablespoons......