6 18th c. Shellback Coin Silver Tablespoons GL ED Baltimore MD Lewyn Davenport

Description

6 18th c. Shellback Coin Silver Tablespoons GL ED Baltimore MD Lewyn Davenport Philadelphia Total weight 315 grams or 10.12 troy ounces. 9” long. See long form description for more info.
6
18th c. Shellback Coin Silver Tablespoons GL ED Baltimore MD Lewyn Davenport Philadelphia
Total weight 315 grams or 10.12 troy ounces.
9” long.
These spoons are very unusual. They have a mid rib on more than half of the back of the handle. A friend thought they were Irish. As it turns out the GL mark was easily found. It is attributed to Gabriel Lewyn who worked in
Baltimore, MD c. 1768-1780
. The I pellet D mark is a bit harder to figure out. It looks similar to the John David mark often attributed to John David. Although the letters are somewhat thinner than the David mark.
The problem is that the fancy shell on the back is not otherwise found in Philadelphia.
Winterthur has two very similar teaspoons one by Lewyn and another attributed to John Davenport. They both have the midrib and the fancy shell. So that means this ID mark is very probably that of Jonathon Davenport.
But to throw another wrench in the works, Catherine Holland in her excellent Philadelphia Silversmiths attributes the ID mark on the Winterthur spoons to John David because of a comparison of spoons by the bird backs.
So I would say the ID mark on these spoons are either those of David or Davenport.
and therefore the Spoons are either Philadelphia or Baltimore.
Either way they are very rare examples.
You can see the marks by googling
“
Sterling Flatware Fashions” a very useful site.
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