Pair of 1715/1716 Britannia Silver Rat Tail Spoons
You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.
Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item
When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
- Engraving - The method of decorating or creating inscriptions on silver and other metal objects by marking the surface with a sharp instrument such as a diamond point or rotating cutting wheel.
- Hallmarks - A mark stamped on articles of precious metals in Britain, since the 14th century, certifying their purity. It derives its name from the Guild Hall of the Goldsmiths' Company, who recieved its Charter in 1327 giving it the power to assay (test the purity) and mark articles of gold and silver.
The hallmark will consist of several marks, including the:
- silver standard mark, indicating the purity of the metal. Sterling silver is .925 pure silver.
- the city mark indicating the city in which it was assayed eg London, Birmingham, York etc.
- the date mark, usually a letter of the alphabet in a particular font and case,
- a duty mark, indicating whether duty had been paid to the crown, and only in use from 1784 to 1890
The piece may include an additional mark, the maker's mark, although not forming part of the hallmark, will be located in the vicinity of the hallmarks.
Sometimes silver plated items will bear faux hallmarks, often confusing those not familiar with silver markings. - Rat Tail - A spoon with a flattened handle, tapering from the narrow section at the bowl, and wider as the top of the handle, that when viewed from above is of a similiar shape to a rat's tail. Also known as the Hanoverian pattern, as its manufacture spanned the reigns of George I, II and III (part) of the House of Hanover dynasty. The rat tail pattern was the forerunner to the Old English pattern.
- Britannia Standard - A higher grade of silver than sterling silver. Britannia standard silver contains at least 958 parts per thousand of pure silver, while sterling silver contains at least 925 parts per thousand of pure silver.
The Britannia standard was obligatory in Britain between 1697 and 1720 and after that was optional, so there are very few silver items that come onto the market that are Britannia standard.
Not to be confused with silver plated Britannia metal items, often marked as "EPBM", a pewter type alloy, that when unplated can be temporarily polished to a silver-like lustre.
This item has been included into following indexes:
Visually similar items
A George II sterling silver spoon with marrow scoop, and a later Georgian sterling silver Old English pattern spoon, 1738 London, mark for Starling Wilford; 1788 London, with partial mark, a fine and crisp spoon with a marrow scoop terminal, and a scallop
A fine pair of George III sterling silver basting spoons, 1785 London, with rare incuse mark, and maker's mark for William Sutton, in Old English design, crisply hallmarked to stems. Provenance: Purchased from Kevin Murray silver for $2200, silver weight 1
Two 19th century Russian silver spoons, in fiddle pattern, hallmarked 1896 and 1894, (2)
A pair of Georgian sterling silver soup spoons, 1799 London, with maker's marks for George Burrows, of simple and elegant Old English design, and having a soft patina, with bright cut initials to the finials and crisply hallmarked underside, silver weight