Charles II Silver Lace-back Trerod Spoon, Edward Hulse 1681 ; M. Ford Creech Antiques

CHARLES II SILVER LACE-BACK TREFID SPOON

Edward Hulse (E.H crowned, crescent below, crown & crescent between pellets)
London, 1681

The flat shaft ending in a shaped trefid terminal, the top side with scrolling foliate decoration,

the verso engraved A * S over M . M over M.H,

the oval bowl with a reeded rattail attachment and

very well preserved foliate scroll decoration to the bowl and within the rattail

Ref :

See Auction 15927: Fine Silver and Objects of Vertu , 2 Jul 2008, London, New Bond Street

Lot 100 : A fine Charles II silver lace-back trefid spoon, by Edward Hulse, London 1684,

the oval bowl with a ribbed rat-tail, the reverse of the terminal prick dot initialled "M.C",

the front with a mask motif amongst the scroll work , length 19.2cm, weight 47.7gms.

Maker E.H Crowned, crescent between pellets below :

There are several makers with the mark 'E.H crowned crescent between pellets below' from this period,

as discussed in Timothy Kent, London Silver Spoonmakers, 1500-1697, p.2 & 49.

("E.H Crowned",...many spoons, some of them of fine quality, including an exceptionally rare gold trefid,

have been noted with a maker's mark EH, not dissimilar to that of Lawrence Coles).

This particular mark was then attributed to Edward Hubbald, apprenticed to Jeremy Johnson in 1652,

or Edward Harrison, apprenticed to James Lapley in 1669.

In the June 2008 The Finial (Silverspoons Club Journal), regarding the above Lot 100,

Timothy Kent, states the following :

"This was a maker I missed when producing 'London Silver Spoonmakers' in 1981: see p. 49.

Hulse was indeed apprenticed to Lawrence Coles in 1672 and free in 1680...

...This was a very fine spoon, I noted, 'crisp, nice colour, but in high at an estimate of £4,000-£4,500.'

How wrong I was! The hammer fell at £5,500, so obviously someone was ready to shell out for the best.

(Other Hulse 'mask lace-backs' have since sold at UK auctions for far less than Bonhams lot 100;

condition and crispness of decoration always cause quite a variance in prices).

Condition : Excellent for age, with good patination and normal wear, several very small rim dents;

excellent preservation of decoration and maker's & London mark;

date mark rubbed but clear; lion passant struck to one side

8" Long / 1.8 oz.

SOLD

#6889

Lion Passant to the right of the crowned leopard, struck on the edge, barely visible

Also See :

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Charles II Silver Lace-back Trefid Spoon, Edward Hulse, London c1681, struck thrice