Rare Georgian Sterling Silver Brightcut teaspoon, attr. Simon Harris London 1794

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Rare Georgian Sterling Silver teaspoon, with fine brightcut decoration to the handle, the end bearing the initials ‘JMW’.

Hallmarked for London, 1794

Also ‘SH’ (or ‘HS’), attributed to Simon Harris

13cm

Good condition with superb clear hallmarks.

There are two recorded ‘SH’ makers in London in the early 19th century, Solomon Hougham and Simon Harris. Houghman died in 1818, so we can discount him; Simon Harris is an interesting under-documented silversmith. He is on record in London with his mark ‘HS’ registered in 1795, and if this spoon is indeed Harris, it is his earliest work before the official registration.  He’s recorded in Grimwade (p538,751) as having paid indenture duty for an apprentice, Joseph Emden, on September 15th, 1796 (Simon Harris of Saint Mary Whitechapel, working silversmith). There are numerous pieces attributed to him with this mark, including teapots, during the first two decades of the 19th century. He seems to have left London by 1810, but pieces continue to be assessed there. Between 1811-15, he is on record at the Exeter Assay office, and his address at this time was the Plymouth Docks, just down the coast. His wares were therefore either assessed at Exeter, a short boat trip up the coast, or London, a slightly longer trip but a destination with an enormous market for his products. 

This spoon is a superb example of a rarely seen silversmith, and pre-dates the official registration of his mark in 1794.

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