Thomas Sadler, London 1701, 'Dognose' Crested Sterling Silver Fork

This 7" long, very heavy at 2.28 T. oz., fork is notable for several reasons.

Evolving from the immediately preceding 17th century English Trefid style with a three-lobed handle tip, this is a turn of the 18th century Dognose piece with a single, extended, slightly upturned, knobbed end.

Scarce items, Dognose forks are all the more so relative to spoons.

This has an interesting, and telling to anyone versed in such things, crest on the handle backside that portrays a crown surmounted by a cross and long-necked bird.

It is a heavily worn piece with extensive tip wear to the three tines.

That said, its rarity bestows it with residual value, priced accordingly, and fortunately the marks, while all smoothed from polishing, are still legible and thus provide documentation.

They are a date letter for 1701, an "lion's head erased," "Britannia" for .950 silver vs. sterling, and a distinctive maker's mark which is an "SA under a rampant leopard," for Thomas Sadler, London.