This exceptional antique silver fish slice / pudding trowel*, in sterling standard, has a spade shaped blade.
The shaped blade is embellished with impressive, finely pierced and engraved scrolling branch ornamentation segmented with simplified leaf festoon style borders.
The centre of the blade is further ornamented with a heron perched on a branch, with a fish in its upturned beak**.
The cast and applied handle is embellished with impressive heart shaped bolster, encompassed with gadroon ornamentation.
The stem of the handle is ornamented with an overlapping drop design and terminates with a gadroon bordered leaf design.
The reverse surface of this antique silver fish slice is embellished with the contemporary engraved initials 'CWO' to the handle terminal.
Such original antique examples, in this fine condition, are becoming increasingly difficult to locate.
* Serving trowels first appeared in the 1740s and their production quantities did not increase for a further two decades.
** The presence of marine life suggests the role of this piece would be for serving fish; however of this period it would be served in a form of pudding / custard. The illustration of the heron amidst pierced decoration is a familiar attribution within Plummer's work.
How to clean antique silverware
Maker: William Plummer
Date: 1770
