Museum number
S230
Object
Apostle spoon: St James the Less, Robert Tyte, Salisbury, silver, later gilded, about 1630
Description
Apostle spoon. St. James the Less, with fuller's bat.Hexagonal stem later incised St. Thomas (sic). The circular nimbus pricked AG over Ws. Gilded. Engraved with 'S' under ducall coronet for the Duke of Sussex; bought by Holburne at the Christie's sale of 23rd. June 1843.Tyte was active c. 1600-36, probably supplying seal-top castings widely within theWest Country
Materials
Silver - Silver-gilt
Inscription
TR conjoined in a dotted circle in the bowl and pheon and cinquefoil punched on stem apparantly for Robert Tyte. Salisbury c 1630
On display?
Yes

Further description

Simple name
Spoon
Dimensions
regular: 18.2cm (d)
St James the Less with a fuller’s bat Robert Tyte (active 1595– 1636), Salisbury Silver, later gilded, about 1630 S230 Nimbus pricked: AG/WS 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.

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