Stock No. 3678	Pair only of Hester Bateman shell-backed table spoons
	Extremely elegant and graceful pair of George III shell-back, Old English tablespoons. Made by Hester Bateman in London in 1779. The spoons have a very elegant almond shaped bowl. The reverse of the bowl is stamped with a stylised, eight-lobed shell. The tip of the reverse of the stem is engraved with a contemporary three letter monogram in the flowing bright cut style of the day, with a bright cut curved band above and below. The hallmarks at the base of the reverse of the stem are extremely crisp indeed and consist of the maker's mark, the lion passant sterling mark, the crowned leopard's head for London and the London date letter for 1779. The king's head was not yet in use.
	Maker :- Hester Bateman

Condition :-Excellent, virtually mint condition with a very well defined shell and extremely crisp hallmarks
Hallmarked :- London 1779
Size :- 8.4 inches (21.4 cm) long
Weight :- 3.74 ozt (116.3 g)
Although there are actually four of these Hester Bateman shell-back table spoons, only a pair are currently being offered for sale, Hester Bateman's work always had an indefinable elegance of line which made it outstanding. She was the mother of Ann, Peter and Jonathan and the grandmother of William Bateman I. Items made by Hester Bateman are very much sought after to-day. The Old English pattern is so simple and timeless that it will blend in happily with any other design of tableware. This pair of tablespoons would be ideal for serving vegetables or puddings. They are in such good condition that they would make an excellent gift.

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