An Edward IV silver diamond point spoon, 'African' leopard's head, maker's mark a wheatsheaf, London, circa 1470

The fig-shaped bowl with faceted handle, terminating in a diamond-point gilt finial

G. E. P. How and J. P. How, English and Scottish Silver Spoons, Mediaeval to Late Stuart and Pre-Elizabethan Hallmarks on English Plate, London, 1952, vol. I & III

Leopards's head struck clearly to bowl. Maker's mark slightly distorted but well struck to the stem reverse. The bowl nicely hammered and not thin to rim, an area of light pitting to the centre. The finial with original gilding worn but predominantly intact. Nice condition, well preserved.
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NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Diamond point spoons, so-called for the faceted shape of their finials, which How suggests (op. cit. vol. I, p. 161) is based on the prick or goad spur which was common in the 13th century, were first made at the end of the 13th century, eventually replacing the acorn as the most common form. The earliest example with full London marks is believed to date from 1493 but examples are known with several versions of the early leopard's head mark. A set of 'ii dozen and vi spoyns with dyamond poyntes' are recorded in the will of a Richard Morton of 1487 and cited by Timothy Kent in his introduction to The Benson Collection of Early Silver Spoons, p. 3. The leopard's head which is struck into the bowl of this spoon is called 'African' by Commander and Mrs. How and described as 'Low forehead, generally spiked: wide open grinning mouth. Letter incorporated over, or in lieu of tongue....' It is the penultimate of the pre-introduction of date letter series of leopard's heads which they date to 1462-circa 1475 (How, op. cit, vol. III, p. 56).

Following the introduction of the leopard's head mark in 1300 the maker's mark followed with its institution in 1363, with the decree that '. . . every master goldsmith should have a mark of his own, known to those appointed to the King to survey their work' (Ian Pickford, editor, Jackson's Silver and Gold Marks', Woodbridge, 1989, p. 37). The earliest maker's mark yet to be recorded is that stamped on this spoon.

For an almost identical example see The Benson Collection, Christie's London, 4 June 2013, lot 1126.