Cape spoon?

[mk209]

Not sure what this one is but I'm sure you good folk will know?





Matt.

[dognose]

Hi Matt,

I don't recognise the mark, but style-wise, it does look like a Cape mark.

I don't recall ever having seen his mark, but Johannes Combrink II, would be a name worth investigating. His father's mark is well known, but the son's I don't remember seeing before.

Trev.

[antiquum obitens]

Hello,

The marks are for the short lived father & son partnership of John and Charles Catton of Gibraltar, c.1804-10.

Hope that helps

[dognose]

Excellent Antiquum Obitens, I've previously seen the mark of Charles Catton, which is quite different:


Charles Catton - Gibraltar


Below is part of the transcript from a trial at the Old Bailey in 1839 regarding, presumablely, Charles's son, also named Charles, that makes mention of his father:

CHARLES CATTON was indicted for stealing, on the 27th of December, 2 spoons, value 12s., and 1 fork, value 8s., the goods of Thomas Lamplugh Wolley, in a vessel, in a port of entry and discharge.

REV. THOMAS LAMPLUGH WOLLEY . I live in Somersetshire. I have lately returned from Corfu, and had my property on board the Bailie–I had six dessert forks and spoons–I have seen the chest which contained them at the Custom-house–I missed some articles from it–I have seen the plate mentioned, in the hands of the officer–it is part of what I had packed up at Corfu.

SAMUEL MOSES . I am a tailor, and live in High-street, Shadwell. At the end of December, I think on the 27th, the prisoner came to my shop–he asked me to buy a fork and two spoons, which he pulled from his breast-pocket–I asked where he got them–he said his father gave them to him, and he had had them two years–I called an officer and gave him in charge.

THOMAS DAWSON (police-constable K 251.) On the 27th of December Mr. Moses gave the prisoner into my custody, with this fork and two spoons–I heard the prisoner say the property was not stolen by him, but given to him two years ago, as a keepsake, by his father, who was a silversmith at Gibraltar, and he said the same at the station-house–I asked him what ship he belonged to–he said "the Halley"–I went next morning, and found no such ship, but I found the schooner Bailie.

Prisoner. These are not the same spoons that were placed in the hands of the officer–they are not like them. Witness. They are the very same–the prisoner had the appearance of a sea-faring man.

SAMUEL MOSES re-examined. I gave the officer the same spoons that the prisoner gave me.

MR. WOLLEY. These were shipped from Corfu, in September last–here is one tea-spoon, one dessert spoon, and one fork–I know them to be mine by the make, and by the crest–they came by the ship Bailie.

GUILTY . Aged 22.– Confined Six Months.

http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.j ... #highlight

Trev.

[mk209]

Superb! The knowledge on here is top notch, many thanks to you both. Another very interesting rare
spoon that's surprised me on where it's come from.

[dognose]

The will of one 'John Catton - Gentleman late Silversmith of Kentish Town' - Grant Of Probate: 21st March 1810, may be relevant.

See: Silversmiths etc Wills available from the National Archives

Trev.

[Granmaa]

If you'd like to find out more about these and other Gibraltar silversmiths, Wynyard Wilkinson wrote an article on the subject in the 2011 Silver Society Journal entitled The Key to Gibraltar.

Miles