Scottish Provincial Silver Spoon - William Byres of Banff and Aberdeen
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$65.00
Offered is a good and scarce Scottish provincial silver dessert spoon or large teaspoon by William Byres, whose biographical details appear below. This piece is engraved "ARM" in period script. It measures about 6 5/8 inches in length and weighs about 19 grams. The maker's marks and the Gothic "Q" mark are well-struck and legible. Condition overall is fair, with some wear from normal use and a shallow dent to the bowl, and a little scratching on the upper handle. There are no splits or repairs. This piece dates to about 1785-90, and so is likely from William Byres' Banff period, but could be early into his return to Aberdeen. All in all a fine example of these marks!
Per the Banff Preservation and Heritage Society and Museum of Banff, "William Byres (or Byers) was apprenticed to James Wildgoose of Aberdeen for seven years from 3rd August 1767. By 1774 he was in Banff and later became Deacon of the Banff Hammermen in 1781. He returned to Aberdeen about 1792 and died in 1811."
