A COLLECTION OF EARLY ENGLISH SPOONS OF THE 15TH, 16TH & 17TH CENTY
First (and only) edition of this remarkable and entirely photographic catalogue of a single collection.
Very good.
Price: $3,500.00
A COLLECTION OF EARLY ENGLISH SPOONS OF THE 15TH, 16TH & 17TH CENTY
Featuring more than 200 spoons, with the earliest in the collection dating from 1488, EARLY ENGLISH SPOONS documents the famed Staniford English spoon collection. An unintentional artist's book or photobook, this elaborate album was produced in a "very small edition" (Report for the Year 1909-1917 on the Victoria and Albert Museum) and is now quite scarce.
It is noteworthy not only for its breadth (including numerous apostle spoons), but for the inclusion of an extremely rare "death's head" spoon (1661). This specific spoon was profiled in Sam O'Brien's 2021 ATLAS OBSCURA article "The Macabre Mystery of a British Family's Skull-Topped Spoons." As he (and scholar David Constable in his book SILVER SPOONS OF BRITAIN: 1200–1710) note, these macabre spoons — though often thought of as memorial or funeral spoons — were in fact "likely a gift for a baby" to mark their birth, an unusual memento mori.
OCLC locates just three holdings (V&A, Museum of Fine Art Boston, Philadelphia Museum of Art). An important reference and an evocative work, one that in its mundanity and matter-of-fact-ness calls to mind the iconic BOOK OF BREAD.
The Object
London: Messrs. Crichton Bros, 1898. Full title: A Collection of Early English Spoons of the 15th, 16th & 17th Centy, Formed by the Refd. Thos. Staniforth. The Property of E.W. Stanyforth Esq. Kirk Hammerton Hall, York. 11.5'' x 10''. Original contemporary green gilt morocco. All edges gilt; gilt floral-patterned dentelles. Marbled endpapers. Printed colophon, photographic title page, plus 81 photographic plates (with descriptive text) mounted on card and bound onto linen guards. Three-page partial typed list of contents loosely laid in. Leather rubbed, especially at extremities. Some scuffing. Bumping to corners. Top board starting, tender. Prelims a bit shaken. Overall, clean and sound.
The Fine Print
We work hard to meet our ethical responsibility to describe our material accurately. All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned for any reason within 30 days. Please notify us before mailing a return.
We guarantee the authenticity of our items. All materials are original (meaning not facsimiles or reproductions) unless otherwise noted. First editions (meaning first edition, first printing) are explicitly stated. TPM is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.
All photographs are of the actual item for sale. We're happy to provide additional images on request.
All domestic orders ship gratis. For orders under $250, free USPS media mail shipping is included; orders $250 and over ship USPS Ground Advantage. International orders over $1000 also ship gratis. Expedited, overnight, as well as other carriers (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.), may carry additional costs beyond quoted rates. All orders receive tracking information and a direct contact in case of any questions.
International buyers are responsible for any customs, taxes, and related import fees. Please note that we are unable to accomodate requests to misrepresent, misdeclare, or otherwise falsify customs documents when shipping internationally. We appreciate your understanding.
We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Venmo, check, money order, and bank wire. We are happy to bill institutional buyers' needs. Sales tax will be added to applicable purchases. Items subject to prior sale.
If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase, please contact us. We prioritize our long-term relationships far above any individual purchase, and we want you to love your item as much as we loved cataloguing it.
