Tea spoon

1790-1810

Maker

John  McMullin (1765-1843)

Measurements

5-3/4 in x 1 in x 5/8 in

Materials

Silver (see "Comments" below)

Credit Line

Historic Odessa Foundation, gift of Harry L. Lindsay

Accession Number

1968.420

Inscription

“JF” is engraved into the face of the handle; “I·M” maker's mark is stamped into the underside of the handle shaft.

Condition Notes

The bowl has a large hole near one side.  The edge bordering the hole has a crack in it.  The silver surface is deeply oxidized with encrustations.

Provenance

The spoon was found on the property of the Franklin Biggs old house near St George’s, presumably by the donor.  The house was moved to Maryland near Middletown, Delaware, c. 1963.

Comments

The bowl is a pointed oval; the handle end is a rounded point that curves neither up nor down.  

The silver was analyzed by quantitative x-ray fluorescence at Winterthur on July 3, 2000, and found to be about 96% silver, 3.85% copper, and trace elements.  See the object file for specific details.