EARLY SPOON, ANDREW ARCHER?

[niceguy1]

HI ALL

I have this early English rat-tail silver spoon. Of the 4 marks 2 are clear, makers mark A R & date letter capital D, whilst the 2 middle marks are partly rubbed.

Is it perhaps Andrew Archer London 1719? What is the name of this pattern?

The spoon measures 19 ½ cm long.

Thanks in advance.

[agphile]

Yes, that will be Archer. The mark nearest to the AR seems to be the Leopard's Head Erased with its severed neck towards the initials which neatly confirms the 1719 date. The spoon is typical of the period. This pattern with its upturned stem end is known as Hanoverian so this is a Hanoverian Rattail spoon. The pronounced ridge on the front of the stem is a feature of early Hanoverian spoons so you could add "with stem ridge" if you wanted greater precision but this is not really necessary because later Hanoverian spoons without the ridge will also generally not have a rattail either.

[niceguy1]

Many thanks for your quick response. So the remaining mark is the Britannia standard?

[agphile]

Yes. it must be.