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Silver occasional spoon, 'de Moriaan', Friesland, c. 1890

Silver occasional spoon, 'de Moriaan', Friesland, c. 1890

Regular price €225,00 EUR
Regular price Sale price €225,00 EUR
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An extremely fascinating and rare silver ornamental spoon, crafted around 1890 in the recognizable Frisian style. This spoon is a beautiful cultural-historical collector's item, richly decorated with unique symbolism that directly refers to the historical 18th-century tobacco trade in the Netherlands.

The spoon is distinguished by a very rare and detailed cast finial at the end of the handle: a Moor / indigenous tobacco seller with a traditional feathered headdress. The figure is depicted with a large tobacco roll to his left and holding a tobacco plant in his hand. This iconic motif was frequently used as a signboard for tobacco shops in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The handle itself is made in a robust, characteristic branch or knot structure (tree trunk style). The transition from the handle to the generous, mirror-smooth bowl is formed by a beautifully cast maritime ornament / dolphin head, which gives the spoon a sturdy and authentic guild appearance.

The back of the spoon bowl shows two intriguing, hand-punched hallmarks:
  • Maker's mark: A stylized letter H (possibly within a fantasy or pseudo-mark border).
  • Historical context: As is common with this type of high-quality historicist spoons (presumably made in Friesland around 1890), the marks were applied to imitate the atmosphere and appearance of antique 18th-century guild silver. The hallmarks are clear and deeply struck into the bowl (see the detailed macro photos).
Specifications:
  • Material: Silver
  • Maker / Origin: Not identified (historicism, presumably Friesland)
  • Theme: Tobacco trade / Smoking paraphernalia memorabilia
  • Dating: Circa 1890 (in 18th-century Baroque style)
  • Weight: 53.9 grams (solid, heavy quality)
  • Length: 19.5 cm (195 mm)
  • Condition: In excellent antique condition with a beautiful high-contrast patina in the deeper parts of the feathered headdress, the handle, and the silver hallmarks.
A magnificent showpiece for the display cabinet and an absolute rarity for collectors of Frisian regional silver, pseudo-marks, or historical tobacco and smoking memorabilia.
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Silver occasional spoon, 'de Moriaan', Friesland, c. 1890
Silver occasional spoon, 'de Moriaan', Friesland, c. 1890
€225,00/ea
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€225,00/ea €0,00