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Silver ornamental spoon, S. Roorda, Franeker, c. 1790

Silver ornamental spoon, S. Roorda, Franeker, c. 1790

Regular price €375,00 EUR
Regular price Sale price €375,00 EUR
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Discover an important piece of 18th-century Frisian guild silver: This magnificent and extremely rare silver commemorative spoon was crafted in the final quarter of the 18th century in Franeker by the master silversmith Sikke Roorda. An authentic collector's item that excels in refined symbolism and a razor-sharp maker's mark.

Sikke Roorda hailed from a prominent Frisian family of silversmiths; he was the son of the well-known Franeker master Philippus Roorda. In 1784, Sikke joined the Franeker silversmiths' guild as a master, after which he established a successful workshop of his own. Roorda worked during the transition period from the flamboyant Rococo to the more restrained Louis XVI style. Due to the limited production in the relatively small silver town of Franeker, pieces have become very scarce over the centuries. An object from his hand with such a sharply preserved, crowned maker's mark is therefore an absolute rarity.

The stem of the spoon is beautifully cast and transitions into elegant rocaille and scroll motifs. The spoon is crowned by a refined allegorical figure of 'Hope / Spes'. The graceful female figure traditionally leans against a large ship's anchor, the universal symbol for hope, constancy, and faith in the future. This made the spoon an exceptionally precious and meaningful gift at the time for a birth or wedding.

The spoon is, on the back of the bowl right next to the attachment of the stem, clearly and deeply hallmarked with the official maker's mark of Sikke Roorda: a capital 'R' under a crown. In accordance with the Frisian tradition for this specific category of 'free work' from the 18th century, no further city or fineness marks are present, which underscores the early provenance and authenticity of this guild silver.
Specifications:
  • Silversmith: Sikke Roorda, Franeker (son of Philippus Roorda, master in 1784)
  • Place of origin: Franeker, Friesland
  • Dating: ca. 1785-1800 
  • Hallmarks: Maker's mark 'R under crown' (no further marks)
  • Decoration: Cast finial 'Hope' (figure with anchor) & tree-trunk stem
  • Length: 173 mm
  • Weight: 49.5 grams
  • Condition: In excellent, authentic condition with a razor-sharp preserved maker's mark and a beautiful, soft age patina.
A unique and historically valuable collector's item for connoisseurs of early Frisian silver and 18th-century goldsmithing!
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Silver ornamental spoon, S. Roorda, Franeker, c. 1790
Silver ornamental spoon, S. Roorda, Franeker, c. 1790
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