Basting or serving spoon

Date1734-1735

Attributed to William Marshall

MediumSilver (Sterling)

DimensionsL: 14 3/4"; W (bowl): 2 15/16"

Credit LineGift of Anonymous Donors

Object number1971-2083

DescriptionBasting, serving, ragout spoon
Label TextMichael Clayton has observed that large spoons of this sort were very popular in Scotland and that early eighteenth-century examples are known from practically every Scottish provincial center. He notes that they appear to have been called "hash spoons" in Scotland and Ireland. They were sometimes referred to as "ragout spoons" in England and America. William Byrd III of Westover, Charles City County, Virginia, owned in 1769 "four Ragooe Spoons" with a value of £4. These would appear to be the "two raguel spoons" and "two ragoul spoons" listed in the 1813 will of his widow, Mary Willing Byrd.

This pleasing spoon with a generous bowl bears customary Edinburgh marks. Instead of a hallmark to indicate that a piece is of required fineness, Edinburgh work before 1681 is stamped with the deacon's mark, which was replaced in that year by the mark of the assay master, in this instance, Archibald Ure.

Similar London basting or serving spoons of 1731/32, of 1746/47 by Samuel Roby, and of 1757/58 by William Turner with respective histories of ownership in the Ambler, Jones, and Randolph families of Virginia were exhibited in 1940 at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond. A similar spoon of 1755/56 by Elias Cachart of London is also in the Colonial Williamsburg collection (1954-543).

InscribedOwner's initials (J B over M R) engraved on underside of handle at end.
MarkingsFully marked on underside of handle