A William III wavy-end

A William III wavy-end, two prong fork, crested, by Lawrence Coles, London 1701, 6.75in (17.2cm), 1oz. Provenance: How of Edinburgh Ltd. This fork is somewhat corroded and mis-shapen and was recovered from the wreck of the Eagle which sank off the Scilly Isles on 22nd October 1707 with all hands. The crest is that of Hancock for Captain Hancock (who was her captain during the time of the disaster. The Eagle was part of Admiral Clowdisley Shovell's fleet returning from Gibraltar. Four out of five ships sank with the loss of over 2000 sailors a consequence of the inability to accurately measure longitude at that period.