18th Century Spoon, Goat's Head Mark, CBM

[Granmaa]

Can anyone identify the marks on this early 18th Century(?) spoon with cherub mask finial? It has a later Swedish import mark.

Miles

[blakstone]

All the marks appear to be Swedish. "A" is the date letter for 1759, the goat's head is the city mark of Hudiksvall, and "CBM" is the maker's mark of Christoffer Baumann (ca. 1720-1797), master 1758.

I cannot explain the absence of the trefoil-shaped "cat's paw", which was mandated from 1 Jan 1754. While I agree that this looks like the post-1913 import mark, it is to be noted that Andren et al. does in fact illustrate a small oval "cat's paw" used in the 18th century.

The style is more 17th century than 18th, but again, Lightbown illustrates a very similar Hudiksvall example by Baumann from 1762 and notes that "there seems no reason to think that it is older than the marks: its rather old-fashioned form is probably one which appealed to a rural market . . . spoons by this maker are common."

Very interesting piece!

Refs:

Erik Andren, Bynole Hellner, Carl Hernmarck, Kersti Holmquist, Svenskt Silversmide 1520-1850 : Guld- och Silverstämplar, 3rd rev.ed. (Stockhom: Nordiska Museets, 2000), pp.24 & 331, marks 3803 & 3813.

Robert W. Lightbown, Catalogue of Scandanavian and Baltic Silver (London: Victoria & Albert Museum, 1975), p. 209.

[Granmaa]

Thank you very much, Blakstone, for your detailed answer.

Miles

[AG2012]

There seems to be solder line (red arrow). This type of spoons is often faked being more lucrative (compare with apostle spoons). Does the scoop really belong here or soldered to the handle? Or just distorted after being bent. Anyway, closer inspection is needed.
Regards