A silver fruit spoon designed by Charles Robert Ashbee and made in 1898.

An incredibly well worked silver spoon by Ashbee. The detailed leaf and berry pattern on the bowl is very delicately worked. The ornate handle includes twisted silver wires which seamlessly join the bowl of the spoon.

An early design by Ashbee, this spoon is very similar to designs shown in The Studio in 1897, Vol 9. However the curl at the top of the bowl turns in a different direction. 

This particular spoon is hallmarked for London, 1898. However it is unusual in that it bears the makers mark for Howell & James Ltd. With some help from a friend this mystery was solved. Ashbee produced some spoons for an exhibition held by the well respected retailers, Howell & James of Regent Street, London, in 1899. This spoon fortunately features in an article about the exhibition by The Artist, 1899, Vol 26. Much more information about this spoon can be found here..

This is a very rare find and may have been one of a very small number of spoons made by Ashbee for Howell & James’s.