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The Pewter Society Journal
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A not so unique spoon
In his Five Centuries of Base Metal Spoons, (p29) Ron Homer illustrates a Chanticleer Knop pewter spoon dating from about 1570 and in the collection of the Pewterers’ Company. ( Fig 1) He describes this as being ‘apparently unique’. This assertion is almost certainly based on the comment by Hilton Price in Old Base Metal Spoons, (p49) when describing the same spoon, that this very rare form is the only one known to the author.
The writer is happy to advise that the spoon is not unique and there is at least one other example, at a stately Cheshire country house.
Tabley House is a fine Palladian mansion near Knutsford. It is owned by Manchester University and is leased as a nursing home. A condition of the lease however, is the preservation of a suite of rooms on the first floor and the display of the important collection of paintings and furnishings assembled by the Leicester family, the original owners of the house.
During an impromptu visit, the writer spotted the spoon in an open display cabinet, although with a wire security restraint, along with other items of pewter in the main reception room. Fortunately, the curator was present and allowed closer examination of the spoon.
Because of the security restraint, it was not possible to handle the spoon and an arrangement was made to return at a later date, not only to view the spoon more closely, but also to report on the 100 plus other items of pewter in the cellar.
This examination proved disappointing and yielded nothing of special interest, being mostly the remnants of domestic and kitchen wares from the 19th century. The 16th century spoon is therefore a stellar exception. The Chairman of trustees did search Leicester family records and in a book about Sir Peter Leicester collated from historical family records by Lady Leighton (Eleanour Leicester-Warren) in the late 19th Century, found the following:
May 27th, 1678 A Note of the Pewter now belonging to Sir Peter Leicester, Bart.
Imprimus (sic!) - 6 Pewter Dishes and six Mazarines with Coate of Armes cut thereon
Item two greate dishes without Coate of Armes
Item 4 little dishes with Coate of Armes
Item 2 Saucers: and two Pewter-Porringers
Item foure old Mazarines and twi Dishes with Coate of Armes
But, no mention of the spoon and, as in many other houses in many other places, there is no way of telling how it came to be at Tabley. (None of the items mentioned above is still at the house, incidentally!).
To the spoon itself
It is 15.2 cm in length and in good, unrestored condition. (Fig. 2)There is a clear maker’s mark in the bowl of H I in glory within a circle. (Fig 3) The stem is shaped as a half hexagon on the underside and rounded on top; this is a deliberate shape rather than the result of wear. The knop is a well defined cockerel or chanticleer standing on a circular plinth. (Fig 4)
Although it has not been possible to examine the example in the WCoP collection, comparative photographs are attached. It seems most likely that the spoons are from the same mould; the only noticeable difference is the bowl which, on the Tabley spoon is more aligned to the right, a condition which often indicates use by a right-handed person. Of course, it could just have become distorted over the years!
The knops appear to be the same, (Fig 5) as do the marks (Fig 6) and their position in the bowls. Hilton Price measured the other example at 5 ⅞”, but the Worshipful Company catalogue quotes 6”, which is equivalent to the 15.2 cm of Tabley’s. The writer does not consider any such difference to be significant, especially taking distortion of the bowl into account.
A most pleasing discovery
Should any member wish to view the spoon whilst in the area, it may be advisable to contact the curator in advance; since they have become aware of its rarity and value, the trustees have put the spoon into the safe pending arrangements for a more secure display facility.
I should like to thank the Trustees of the Tabley House Collection and especially Donald McLeod and Elina Glenday for their courtesy and cooperation.
References:
Old Base Metal Spoons (p49) F G Hilton Price, Batsford1908
Five Centuries of Base Metal Spoons (pp29,55) R F Homer, The Pewter Society1999
A short history of The Worshipful Company of Pewterers of London and a catalogue of pewterware in its possession (pp80,85) WCoP 1968
Tabley House Tabley House Collection Trust 2006
Figure 1. Chanticleer knop spoon at WCoP
Figure 2. Chanticleer knop spoon at Tabley House
Figure 3. ‘H I’ maker’s mark on spoon at Tabley House
Figure 4. Chanticleer knop on spoon at Tabley House
Figure 5. ‘H I’ maker’s mark on spoon at WCoP
Figure 6. Chanticleer knop on spoon at WCoP
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By Ronald F. Homer