Teaspoon
New York, New York
1875-1899
Maker
Wood & Hughes (in partnership 1845-1899)
Measurements
5-7/8 in x 1-1/4 in x 1 in
Materials
Silver
Credit Line
Historic Odessa Foundation
Accession Number
2025.4
Inscription
The “W&H STERLING” maker’s mark is stamped into the back of the handle near the bowl. “J W” is engraved on the front of the handle.
Condition Notes
The spoon handle appears to have been bent and subsequently straightened, although not to its original shape.
Provenance
The spoon was found in the ground near Cantwell's Tavern. The owner's initials on the handle have not been identified.
Comments
The firm of Wood & Hughes was formed by Jacob Wood and Jasper W. Hughes and was a successor to Gale, Wood & Hughes, an important New York silver manufacturer. The spoon itself conforms to traditional designs in its oval bowl, the small projections where the handle meets the bowl, the "fiddleback" handle, and molded edges.
