A James II sterling silver twin handled porringer, London 1686 by SN, mullet below in a heart shaped shield, possibly for Simon Noyes (free 1659, died c.1689)

Of circular form with slightly rounded base upon a short cylindrical base, with two cast and applied C scroll handles with notched decorative motifs. The lower half of the body with embossed decorative band of repeating acanthus leaves. The upper rim with traces of a contemporaneous prick engraved initials H * S between estoiles. Fully marked underneath.

Length – 18.5 cm / 7.25 inches

Weight – 227 grams / 7.3 ozt

Simon Noyes was the son of Simon Noyes a yeoman of Wilcot, Wiltshire, his brother William Noyes was apprenticed to John Gilbert in 1642, while Simon and was apprenticed to plate worker Henry Noyes from Michaelmas 1652, Henry was likely uncle to William and Simon. Simon Noyes bound four apprentices including Moses Greenaway and Thomas Parr. There are two versions of this mark, the first with pellets above and mullet below is found over a range of pieces from 1660-1683, the second mark, which is found on the present lot is given a possible attribution to Noyes by Mitchel (2017). Mitchell notes that Noyes appears to have entered a period of "[...] financial difficulties, for between April 1671 and September 1689 he recieved thirty-three gifts from eight charities of the Goldsmiths' Company, totalling some £33. In 1686 and 1687, these included payments from Richard Cheney's bequest which was reserved for former householders in 'Lombard street or otherwise'." (Mitchell, D., Silversmiths in Elizabethan and Stuart London: their lives and their marks, Woodbridge: Boydell Press, (2017), p.494)

Given that this porringer is the latest occurrence known of either of the SN marks and the only other occurrence in the 1680's being a tumbler of 1683 listed below which has the alternative mark, it remains possible that this piece was created by another goldsmith of which the possibilities are Stephen Nightingale or more likely Samuel Newman who was listed as a working goldsmith in the 1692 Poll tax. Until updated imagery of all known SN marks is collated and potentially a piece found with the SN mark from beyond 1690 the attribution will remain unclear.

Other silver by Noyes:

A caudle cup of 1665, Sold Bonham’s New Bond Street, 4 July 2007, Lot 212 (£2,640 incl. premium) [Alternative Mark]

A caudle cup of 1667, sold Christie’s New York, 11 April 1995, Lot 250 ($3,680 incl. premium) [This mark]

A tumbler of 1683, sold Christie’s South Kensington, 24 May 1991 lot 16 (£1100 incl. premium) [Alternative Mark]