Souvenir spoon: Isle of Man

Date letter for 1892

Maker

John Hilliard and John Thomason (1850-1907

Measurements

4-1/4 in x 7/8 in x 5/8 in

Materials

Silver with a gold-washed bowl

Credit Line

Historic Odessa Foundation, The David Wilson Mansion, Inc.

Accession Number

1971.1185

Inscription

Four hallmarks for Birmingham, England, include an "H&T" maker's touchmark and the "S" date letter for 1892.

Provenance

Ex coll. Mrs. E. Tatnall (Mary Corbit) Warner

Comments

The unusual device on the tip of this spoon handle is a triskelion—three legs wearing armor and spurs arranged in a rotational manner.  The motif may derive from Celtic traditions, although it also appears in Greek antiquity and elsewhere.  The specific version depicted on this spoon comes from the flag of the Isle of Man. The triskelion stands upon a spiral bar that is common in British heraldry.  The handle of the otherwise plain spoon is twisted in the middle of the shaft.