Material: Sterling Silver
Size: 140mm Long x 30mm Bowl
Description: This artifact is an antique solid sterling silver teaspoon executed in the highly prized Queens pattern, a luxury 19th-century variant of the traditional Kings design. Unlike single-struck flatware which leaves the underside smooth, this heavy-gauge piece features double-struck relief work decorating both the anterior and posterior surfaces. The reverse handle terminal repeats the crowning anthemion fan or scallop shell motif from the front, while the lower stem displays a clear, linear sequence of official British legal stamps embedded directly into the metal. The stem seamlessly flows down to the reverse of the oval bowl, which is reinforced with a beautifully molded convex shell drop heel—a signature structural flourish reserved for the finest variations of this pattern.
Circa: 1875-1876
Notes:
The reverse architecture of this spoon reveals a fascinating intersection of strict tax laws and high-end silversmithing tradition. The crisp hallmark string represents a legally binding assay sequence stamped at the London Assay Office. This sequence features the iconic walking lion passant ensuring a 92.5% sterling purity, alongside the lowercase Old English date letter "u" specifying the 1875–1876 production cycle. Flanking these marks is the circular profile duty mark of Queen Victoria, a stamp used to prove luxury production taxes were paid directly to the Crown. The elaborate shell design on the back of the bowl, often referred to by period silversmiths as an anthemion heel, served a highly functional purpose; it provided vital structural reinforcement at the high-stress junction where the thin neck meets the bowl, preventing the soft sterling silver from bending or snapping during heavy table use.