A Henry VIII silver spoon, London 1539, maker’s mark obscured, possibly William Simpson (active 1510-45)

Fig shaped bowl, faceted tapering stem, with a later mid-17^th century seal top finial, the terminal engraved with later initials C over I * H in Roman script. Traces of gilding to finial. Leopard’s head to bowl, date letter B to reverse with traces of a maker’s mark.

Length – 15.4 cm / 6.45 inches

Weight – 42 grams / 1.35 ozt

Although the maker’s mark is heavily obscured some angular portions remain, which could quite possibly be for the fringed S mark of specialist spoon maker of the Henrite period William Simpson. Simpson was apprenticed to a Robert Preston in 1499.

This spoon almost certainly started out in the early 16^th century as an apostle spoon, however with the Puritan movement of the middle portion of the 17^th century such a finial may well have inspired iconoclastic actions leading to this spoon being updated to a seal top of this form. The lion passant was introduced in 1544 to establish the sterling standard of silver, items made before this date such as this spoon would only have three marks; maker's mark, leopard's head, and the date letter which was introduced in 1478.

An apostle spoon of 1531 by this maker was sold Christie’s London, 2 Dec 2015, lot 658 (£25,000 incl. prem)

An apostle spoon of 1515 by this maker was sold Christie’s London, The David Little Collection, 3 Dec 2019, lot 107 (£37,500 incl. prem)

A lion sejant spoon of 1525 by this maker was sold Woolley and Wallis, 31 Oct 2023, lot 1838 (£9450 incl. prem)

A seal top of 1529 by this maker was sold Woolley and Wallis, 31 Jan 2024, lot 622 (£8190 incl. prem)

An apostle spoon of 1544 by this maker was sold Woolley and Wallis, 31 Oct 2023, lot 1839 (£6930 incl. prem)

A maiden head spoon of 1532 by this maker was sold Woolley and Wallis, 19 April 2023, lot 562 (£7500 hammer)

An apostle spoon of 1534 by this maker was sold Woolley and Wallis, 13 Jul 2022, lot 567 (£9500 hammer)

A pair of apostle spoons of 1545 by this maker was sold Woolley and Wallis, 13 July 2022, lot 570 (£25,000 hammer)

An apostle spoon of 1530 by this maker was sold Woolley and Wallis, 13 July 2022, lot 573 (£15,000 hammer)

An apostle spoon of 1538 by this maker was sold Woolley and Wallis 13 April 2022, lot 617 (£12,000 hammer)

An apostle spoon of 1533 by this maker was sold Woolley and Wallis, 13 April 2022, lot 619 (£17,000 hammer)

An apostle spoon of 1531 by this maker was sold Dreweatts, 8 March 2022, lot 88 (£20,000 hammer)