The jockey cap is a design which is seen frequently since it has been copied many times over the years. It is much prized by collectors who usually prefer the hallmarks to be punched on the visor, which is the handle. Make sure that hallmarks are of the right period, if you think the rest of the spoon looks genuine, because reproductions will have modern marks. Some jockey caps are fairly plain, perhaps engraved or bright-cut on the visor, while others may have a ribbed cap and peak or be engraved all over with a simple pattern. There are, aswell, those which are die-stamped and decorated with geometric patterns.

Antique Collector MagazineApart from the jockey cap, other popular caddy spoon designs include the leaf shape, particularly the vine leaf, the handle resembling a vine tendril in silver wire and the bowl forming the vine leaf. Others may have ribbed leaves, sometimes with finely-chased veins and also with a stalk handle of twisted wire. Leaves might be die-stamped or cast and made of silver-gilt filigree, ordinary filigree and simulated filigree. In addition to definite shapes there were those which were formed as domestic utensils such as a shovel, scoop or circular frying-pan. Handles were not always of silver, but were sometimes made of ivory, mother-of-pearl or stained wood. Running concurrently with such designs were quite simple examples and those with their bowls following a more or less general form but intricately decorated.

Various makers were famous for caddy spoons. They included, apart from those already mentioned, Samuel Pemberton (Birmingham), Hester Bateman and her family (London), Cocks and Bettridge (Birmingham), Thomas Watson and Peter Lambert (Newcastle), James le Bass and John Osborn (Dublin), William Cunningham (Edinburgh), George Fenwick (Edinburgh), George Unite (Birmingham), Edward Farrell (London), and John Foligno (London). Caddy spoons were made in abundance until around the 1860s when their popularity decreased, although, of course, certain numbers have always been produced, sometimes in new designs, but more often copies of originals.

It is when such copies are resold that the collector needs to be on his guard since, although they are in no way meant to be fakes, having acquired a little age, they may appear older than they actually are. Also there is quite a vogue at the present time for producing sterling silver copies of objects which have proved popular in the past, among them caddy spoons. These generally appear in the windows of jewellers who also sell modern silver. Even if one does not wish to build up a collection devoted entirely to caddy spoons, one of these delightful old spoons is worth owning for its beauty and workmanship. A sturdier type may be put to one or two light uses at the tea table occasionally, providing it is treated carefully. For those who might become addicted, however, there are others like you who belong to the Society of Caddy-Spoon Collectors, an organisation devoted to assisting its members and to promoting the study of a delightful memento of a gracious era.

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