J~- ~ l!1to English knopped latten spoons Part 1 CHRISTOPHER A. PEAL OME uncertainty appears to exist as to what precisely is spoons, which until recently, surprisingly, did not capture the Smeant by latten. It is the old term for what is now called interest of collectors. But these spoons are most fascinating to brass, an alloy of copper and zinc, made by the calamine process. study and possess. The pioneering work by Hilton Price is The terminology is rather confusing because in the Middle Ages excellently recorded in his book 'Old Base Metal Spoons' the word 'brass' was used to include bronze, an alloy of copper (Batsford, 1908). This deals with both pewter and latten spoons and tin. In the twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, latten (in fact, it is not always clear to which he is referring). It will was made in Germany and the Low Countries and imported probably come as a surprise even to connoisseurs to learn that into England in sheet form where it had many uses; in Church the forms in these alloys seldom run parallel and that a number of brasses, for example. It was not made officially in England until types seem to be peculiar to one or other metal. Hilton Price had 1565, when Queen Elizabeth granted patents for its manufacture. excellent co-operation from a number of collectors and examined So far very little has been published on the subject of latten over 1,000 spoons of both alloys. The information given on 2. Progression of development, twelfth to eighteenth centuries. (a) c. U50-U50. Leaf bowl (pewter). (b) c_ 1200-1300. Round bowl (latten). (c) c. 1300- • 1350. Round bowl, diamond stern (latten). (d) c. 1300-1400. Mandoline bowl (latten). C 1150-1250 (e) c. 1400-1500. Fig bowl (pewter). (f) c. 1500-1550. Fig bowl (pewter). (g) c. 1550-1590. Fig bowl (latten). (h) c. 1580-1630. Fig bowl (latten). (i) c. 1600-1660. Round bowl (latten). I. Examples of knops not recorded in Hilton Price's 'Base Metal Spoons'. (a) A Rocket knopped latten spoon of c. 1400. (b) A type known in silver, but apparently unique in pewter-Lion guardant, fifteenth C 1200-1300 C 1300-1350 century. ~""--""' " 1::: :: :: -- • ;; ::::: r=o====::;'!!iiiII ......, C 1400-1500 C 1300-1400 . ;:::: ::, C 1500-1550 C 1550-1590 . ;: ::::: ,.::: ::: ....!!l!!!!!!!!!!!IIII C 1580-1630 C 1600-1660 ' :::::::I!!!iii!!_ P 25~ -15 r 254 '. ','.. ,' 3. (a) Typical form of fourteenth-century .:,' , I ' ..... spoon. : :;'. ' (b) Knop of Tower i . and Steeple in accom­ ', ".' panying spoon. '.:.:. ~ ' .. I: .... ·. .' ;0", ' .. .... : .; w • • • • • .,. ..-.. ..' . I '. ." " . ". 4. Round bowl spoon of thirteenth century, .' showing crude cut .,r.. and filed knop, and maker's mark (read with bowl upwards) of crowned fleur-de- lis. marks is not very far from complete, even now after 60 years, their manufacture in favour of their own metal and work which is a remarkable tribute to his pioneer work. Although (pewter spoons reigned unchallenged at this time). These two comparatively few unrecorded maker's marks ha ve turned up since main groups again each subdivide clearly into two more sections: publication, several types ofknop (No. I), particularly in pewter, I (a). Leaf and Round bowls, twelfth century, c. 1350. have come to light (literally, for all these base metal spoons have I (b). Fig bowls, c. 1350-c. 1400. come from old drains, wells, rivers and accidental excavations). 2 (a). Pear shaped bowls, gradually becoming round, The latter has interested me as a pewter collector and I have c. 1560-c. 1670. constantly drawn on Hilton Price's work and experience while 2 (b). Trifids and flattened handles, c. 1660-c. 1710. collecting, in carrying out research at the British Museum and The dates are very approximate, and it is impossible to lay elsewhere. I have also had the co-operation of the few collectors down accurately a chronological sequence of types because many known to him, particularly Mr. J. A. Douglas and Mr. R. types of spoon, and knop, run concurrently. Some in fact Warner. blanket others (No. 2). Many facts which are essential to the appreciation of early The earliest bowls (Group I (a) ) in both latten and pewter are spoons can only be absorbed by a study of silver. This obvious leaf shaped-that is, with a distinct pointed tongue-and belong source of information deserves more attention than it appears to to the twelfth-thirteenth centuries. The point soon retreats, as have received. I have made frequent reference to Commander can be seen in transitional spoons, and by the early fourteenth G. E. P. How's admirable work 'English and Scottish Silver century the bowl is in the same plane as the flat stem, which is of Spoons', which gives most useful comparisons, illustrations and uniform thickness and tapers, in plan view, to a very insignificant dating evidence. London silver hallmarks were commenced in knop. These early knops have been rather weakly dubbed Cones 1478, therefore all types of silver spoon produced in London and Finials. The front of the stem near the bowl usually bears a thereafter are dateable year by year. This date, of course, may be maker's touch. Spoons in this Group appear to have been cut out anywhere within the span of a specific type. While not pre­ ofJatten in sheet form, beaten and filed to shape. Between Groups suming to disagree with Commander How regarding silver, not 1 (a) and I (b) one or two transitional spoons exist with squat all his opinions are necessarily valid for their base metal counter­ elliptical bowls. parts: e.g. that the diamond shaped stem was exclusively Spoons in Group 1 (b) are completely different in conception Continental, for some pewter specimens appear to show and manufacture. They have small fig- or mandoline-shaped otherwise. bowls and long, thin stems of diamond section. These are of the It is not generally realised that latten spoons found in England fourteenth century and seldom bear marks. The bowls are fall cleanly into two main period groupsl: (1) pre c. 1400 and smaller and the knops, though similar to those in Group I (a), are (2) c. 1560 to C. 1710. None appear between these two periods, much better formed. There appear to be three types of knop: perhaps because the Pewterers Company succeeded in suppressing Leaf Bud, Tower and Steeple, and Rocket (the writer's own 255 5. (a) Perhaps the first type in the reappearance ofIatten spoons-now known to be made in this country-Simple Seal, c. 1570. (b) Lion Sejant, c. 1580. (c) Writhen Ball, c. 1580. (d) Simple Seal, c. 1570. (e) Acorn (overcleaned), sixteenth century. descriptive tenninology). Unlike spoons in Group 1 (a), examples Just after the mid-sixteenth century, a spate of undoubtedly in this Group were moulded (No. 3). English latten spoons appears, the origin of which is referred to Some doubt exists as to whether spoons in the above two below. Group 2 (a), with big pear-shaped bowls, appeared about categories were made in England. Commander How considered 1560, and in the next few years the knops made were: Lion all twelfth- and thirteenth-centu:ry silver spooris to be Con­ Sejimt, Writhen Ball, Simple Seal, Acorn and the knopless tinental. The maker's marks on the round bowllatten spoons of Slip Top (No. 5). Stems were heavy and hexagonal, becoming Group 1 (a) provide a clue to provenance. Although there are no fl atter towards the end of the century. Bowls became more records to identify exactly who the makers were, all the marks rounded, always with marks, some of which are of known have a Continental flavour. For example, one maker's mark is a pewterers. There are also many other minor details in the devel­ crowned fleur-de-lys which, at this date, would seem to indicate opment of the bowl and stem which are good guides to dating. French origin (No. 4). This, coupled with the fact that two latten In the seventeenth century these trends continued, with the spoons of similar form in the author's collection, have come from stem becoming greatly flattened and rounded at the edges. The the ground in London and Rome, seems to point solely to bowl became almost circular and joined the stem with a wide Continental manufacture. However, sheet latten having been sweep and drop, resulting in the rim of the bowl being below imported into England, it is conceivable that spoons could have the line of the stem (unlike Group 1 (a) ). The knop types at this figured amongst the items manufactured from it; and while time are Gauntlet Seal, Apostles, Horse Hoof, Lion Sej ant, doing so why should not the satisfactory Continental style of a Strawberry (these were certainly made in or after 1659, since some diamond section stem have been adopted? specimens bear a dated touch of that year) and Slip Top (No. 6). Before studying Group 2 (spoons made after c. 1560), the These continued until c. 1670 but the knops of the late Seals and evolution of pewter spoons in the intervening period should be Apostles are of poor definition. The fascinating Apostles will be noted. Those made in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries dealt with more fully in the second part of this article. In addition developed plumper and more pear-shaped bowls, and the there are some very rare types, of which there are only one or diamond stems, having been tapped on top and bottom for two known examples, such as Stag's Head, Globe, and Man's greater strength, had a narrow-topped hexagonal section.