An Elizabeth I silver Seal-top spoon

An Elizabeth I silver Seal-top spoon,

by William Cawdell, London 1598,

fig-shaped bowl, tapering faceted handle, the terminal scratch initialled 'IL', length 17.1cm, approx. weight 1.4oz.

Provenance: A Private Collection.

Matthew Barton Ltd., Olympia, London 23 November 2016, lot 296.

Charles Oman, (1901-1982), Author and Keeper of the Department of Metalwork at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Biggs of Maidenhead.

Oman wrote on this spoon which was one of two he purchased 'After the 1951 exhibition at Goldsmiths Hall the Wardens voted me £100 to buy a piece of silver. I had enough silver and had no ambition to become a collector, so I bought these seal-tops. On later occasions I always arranged that I should be rewarded with a travel grant'.