- Museum number
- S206
- Object
- Apostle spoon: St James the Greater, Daniel Cary, London, silver, later gilded, 1622/23
- Description
- Apostle spoon. St James the Greater, with escallop shell.Circular nimbus with dove, hexagonal stem , gilded,.Daniel son of Walte Cary of Castle Cary, Somerset, Daniel had alarge spoon making business c1604-41
- Materials
- Silver - Silver-gilt
- Inscription
- D enclosing C for Daniel Cary
- On display?
- Yes
Further description
- Simple name
- Spoon
- Dimensions
- regular: 17.7cm (d)
St James the Greater with a scallop shell
Daniel Cary (active about 1604–1641), London
Silver, later gilded, 1622/23
S206
Spoons were personal objects and often the most valuable thing a person owned. They were given by godparents at baptisms and exchanged at marriage. Detailed inscriptions are rare, most are simply ‘pricked’ with initials and a date. As precious objects spoons were frequently reused and the inscriptions are often much later than the spoons themselves.
Early spoons are often inscribed with the names or initials of their owners. Baptismal gifts, can be accompanied by the initials of the godparent and the date. Pairs of initials and a date may also indicate that the spoon was a wedding present.
Please help us improve our records. Let us know if there are any errors by writing to curators@holburne.org