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Hi all,
I was wondering if someone could give me a hand with this spoon. It certainly doesn't look English to my untrained eye, but is the hallmark a crowned leopard? Any idea on the date of the spoon?It is the only mark on the piece.
Thank you in advance.




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You're quite right, it doesn't look English. Plus, I've never heard of simply marking a spoon with the London assay mark and nothing else. What's more, this has a few differences to the crowned leopard, most notably the cartouche.
However, I've not heard of any other country using such a mark; very strange. The design looks Dutch to me.

Miles

PS Is that a mark to the top right of the leopard?


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Thanks for that Miles. I don't think that is another mark, just a ding.

I assume it is out of the question that this is a very old spoon that pre-dates date letters...

Thanks again.
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It's a Dutch cream spoon (often called a monkey spoon in the U.S.), looks like a pseudo-mark intended to insinuate greater age. You might also find some other marks on the piece, I've found them with genuine Dutch marks and British import marks along with the false marks. Probably dates to late 19th-early 20th century.

Cheryl ;o)
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