GREAT YARMOUTH - AN ENGLISH PROVINCIAL CHARLES II TREFID SPOON
THOMAS HUTCHISON, CIRCA 1680
£2,205
Auction: 17 September 2024 from 10:00 BST
Description
marked Gothic G, incuse flower head, TH, Gothic G, of conventional form, lace back detail to reverse of bowl, prick engraved MG to reverse of terminal
Dimensions
18cm long, 35g
Provenance
A Private East Coast Scottish Collection collected over two generations
Footnote
THOMAS HUTCHINSON, GREAT YARMOUTH, CIRCA 1680
The practice of marking silver in Provincial centres rather than the official Assay Offices in the larger commercial centres was commonplace in both Scotland and England.
But it is always interesting to note why these provincial centres emerged. Places in Scotland such as Banff and Tain on the North Coast had a strong presence of silversmiths due to the trade and fishing links with Scandinavia, and most importantly this was geographically closer/ accessible than the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh.
This is also the case with Great Yarmouth, which from the Middle Ages, had been an important herring port and rivalled that of the Scottish ports. The importance grew and by the end of the 18th century became a vital naval base. During the French Revolutionary War of (1793-1802) and the two Napoleonic Wars of (1803-1815) it was the main support base for naval and military operations in the North Sea and the Baltic. It is therefore clear to see that Great Yarmouth was an important centre for trade and silversmiths would have been integral aspect for merchants; both trading and for merchants to show their social standing with silver commissions.
Moreover, unlike Scotland where the geographical position did hinder assaying wares in the larger cities, it does appear that Great Yarmouth had good transport links with London, furthermore the closer Provincial assay office of Norwich was in existence between 1565-1701, and shows that Thomas Hutchinson could have taken wares there too.
Thomas Hutchinson, was admitted a Freeman of Yarmouth, but he is recorded as a goldsmith in Norwich, Colchester and Chelmsford and Great Yarmouth. “Thomas Hutchinson of Great Yarmouth (…) bound five apprentices and is last mentioned in 1699, when his son and apprentice, John Hutchinson was admitted freeman of Yarmouth.” Hartrop, C., (2004), East Anglian Silver 1550-1750, Cambridge: John Adamson, p, 96. Illustrating the legacy he leaves.
The Trefid spoon is a fashion characterised by the terminals of each spoon, sometimes with the rat-tail bowls, they are most commonly found in the late 17th century and shows how this spoon was clearly in fashion at this time. The prick engraved initials of MG show that the spoon was owned by the one person and a very personal item at that.
Furthermore, other examples of spoons by Thomas Hutchinson all appear to be mainly Trefid and show that this may have been his signature style. As both Great Yarmouth silver and in particular Thomas Hutchinson silver is H. D Ellis collection o scarce this is difficult to ascertain.
For an almost identical spoon see the Tiktum collection, illustrated Hartrop, C., (2004), East Anglian Silver 1550-1750, Cambridge: John Adamson, p, 97 item 80 and 81, although, the flowerhead to this example appears to be much crisper.
Other examples include:
Trefid: Woolley and Wallis, Lot 1189 Fine Silver and Objects of Vertu 25 April 2017, Initialled H over MI, formerly in the Ellis collection Lot 73: Sold (£3000 hammer)Trefid: Bonhams, lot 62, Fine Silver and Gold Boxes 23 November 2011, £2,125Woolley and Wallis lot 1, 20 April 2004, (£2,300 hammer)Woolley and Wallis lot 82: sold, 29 April 2003, pair of spoons, formerly a set of three in the Ellis collection, lot 365 (£3,500 hammer)Christie’s South Kensington, 10 Nov 1998, lot 62 (£1495 incl. premium) [illustrated Hartrop P.97]sold Sotebys London 13-14 1935 lot 74.