S203: Apostle Spoon: St Simon Zelotes
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© The Holburne Museum of Art, Bath
| Museum number | S203 |
| Title | Apostle Spoon: St Simon Zelotes |
| Object type | In category: Metalwork » Flatware » Spoon » Early spoon (pre 1700) » Apostle spoon |
| Date | Between 1605 and 1606 |
| People |
Unknown - Gold/silversmith(s) Sussex, Augustus, Duke of (1774-1843) (known) - Previous owner(s) |
| Place of origin | Europe » Northern Europe » British Isles » Great Britain » England » London |
| Condition |
Good |
| Dimensions |
17.8 cm length whole 5.2 cm width whole |
| Materials & techniques |
In category:
Metal
»
Silver-gilt
|
| Description | Silver-gilt Apostle spoon with a hexagonal stem and fig-shaped bowl. The finial is in the form of a figure of St Simon Zelotes. He has a pierced nimbus (halo) and holds a large saw. | ||||||||||||
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Subject |
Figure Religion |
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| Notes | Apostle spoons are so named because each is surmounted by a small figure of one of the Apostles bearing his customary emblem. They first appeared in the fifteenth century and remained popular into the seventeenth century. Apostle spoons were often given to commemorate the baptism of children and they often bear the child's name or initials and the date of baptism. Spoons could be given singly - the particular saint often reflecting the child's name - or, if the donor was wealthy enough, as a complete set of thirteen including all twelve saints and a Master spoon knopped with a figure of Christ. However, figures were not restricted to the Apostles and included many other saints. The saw is the usual attribute of St Simon Zelotes because his body is said to have been sawed to pieces. Sir T. W. Holburne amassed one of the finest collections of sixteenth and seventeenth century spoons in the country. This spoon together with others bears the cipher of Augustus, Duke of Sussex (1774-1843).The Duke was a noted collector of early silver and these spoons were probably among the 49 apostle spoons sold in four separate lots from the Duke's collection on 23 June 1843 (L114b). It is not clear whether Sir T. W. Holburne acquired them directly from this sale or later. Holburne lent 60 Apostle and seal-top spoons to the National Exhibition of Works of Art held in Leeds in 1868. There they were displayed in groups of twenty arranged radially on three circular shields. |
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| Literature |
A. Butcher and E. J. C. Smith, A Catalogue of Silver at the Holburne Museum, Bath, 1996, p.20, no.148 |
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| Muse theme | The Art of Collecting |
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| Muse chapter |
The History of the Holburne Collection » Sir William Holburne and his Collection » Building the Collection
The History of the Holburne Collection » The Collection » Silver |
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| Gallery Label |
Two 'Apostle' Spoons English, London, 1603 and Exeter (Thomas Wood), 1666 Silver with later gilding St. Simon Zelotes and St. Matthew Both Spoons engraved on the back with a later Old English S and ducal coronet for the Duke of Sussex.Purchased by Sir William Holburne at the Sale of the Duke of Sussex's Collection, 23rd June 1843 S203, S 217 (Unknown) 29-4-2004 |
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| Method of acquisition | Bequest | ||||||||||||
| Provenance | Augustus, Duke of Sussex (1774-1843); probably his sale, Christie's, London, 23 June 1843 (?lot 256, 257, 258 or 259); Sir T. W. Holburne (1793-1882); by whom bequeathed to Mary Anne Barbara Holburne (1802-1882); by whom bequeathed to the Museum | ||||||||||||
| Exhibition history |
Title of exhibition: National Exhibition of Works of Art Title of exhibition: Centenary Exhibition of Silver in the Holburne Collection Title of exhibition: Town House Treasures: Sir Thomas William Holburne of Bath |
