Long tapering handle, light reverse rib, feathered script mono RTVL on front; 7-5/8" long. Condition is near-mint. This is the same mark used by John's father, Saunders. The only way to identify the maker is to identify the approximate year it was made. This piece was made no earlier than 1805-10. By then, Saunders was dead. Incidentally, these small ladles, both coffin-end and late 18thC, were made almost entirely in RI, and most notably in Providence.

Brightcut and roulette work on upper arms, lower portion twisted; unique (?) pointed-end acorn nips decorated with roulette work (see pic); block mono S over D S in cartouche on bend; only 5-1/4" in length. Condition is mint throughout. Marked W (pellet) R on both arms.

Manufacturer was Hall, Hewson, also of Albany. This piece is in mint condition. It has a downturned fiddle handle, c1825, with flared shoulders, a drop on the bowl back and it is reverse tipt. Mono is a feathered script C L B. Length is 9-1/4". Weight is 2 Troy oz. Extended bowl tip is unworn, marks as crisp as the day they were struck.

Shaped fiddle arms, cast claw nips, script mono J E B on bend. Length is 6-1/4". Weight is 1-1/2 Troy oz. Condition is near-mint.

Pointed-end handles, c1790 -- reverse rib, shaded block mono M (device) A on front; 5.75" in length. Bird is fully although lightly struck. Condition throughout is excellent.

Downturned fiddle handles, c1840 -- pointed shoulders, drop on the bowl back, reverse tipt, feathered script mono C R on front; 6" long, 7 Troy oz. One spoon has been replaced by a sterling example made or sold by Simons Bro. & Co. Condition of all 12 is near mint. The O'Daniel mark is a bit strange, with a period in place of an apostrophe between the O and the D. This same error is repeated in a different mark shown in Belden.

Made by Edward Corner, Easton, c1810 -- tapered handle from end to bowl, feathered script mono E A on front; 5-1/4" in length. Bowl has a bit of wear and one or two teething marks. Mark is excellent (see pic).

Classic coffin-end handle, tapering from tip to bowl, c1800 -- roulette pointed drop on bowl back, feathered script mono B S on front; 8-3/4" in length. Weight is 1-1/2 Troy oz. Condition is excellent, with just a touch of tipwear. Mark can be found on p. 18 of "Simple Elegance" -- I (pellet) MOULTON.

Pointed-end handles, c1790 -- large double-molded drop on bowl back (see pic), feathered script mono J C B on front; 9" in length. Weight is 3-1/2 Troy oz. One has light tipwear, the other in excellent condition. These spoons are said to have come from the Bradford family of Plymouth, Mass.

Fiddle arms with flared shoulders, oval nips, feathered script mono L H A on bend; 6-1/4" in length. Good weight. Condition is excellent. Marked on one arm G&H -- Gale, who manufactured the piece in NYC, and Hayden, who retailed the piece in Charleston, SC. Marked on the other arm with the date of manufacture -- 1846.

Deep rib on handle front, molded drop on bowl back, block mono D over M * M on reverse; 7-3/4" in length. Excellent condition, mark still crisp.

Ellis worked with his brother William. You can find him listed in Whisker and on the internet at American Silversmiths. The mark shown here -- E. Baily in script -- is heretofore unknown, at least to us. This pair of teaspoons have downturned fiddle handles with pointed shoulders. The mono is R B in a feathered script. Length is 5-5/8". Condition is near-mint, extended bowl tips unworn.