Exquisite silver tablespoon made by famous silversmith and patriot Paul Revere, circa 1780s, with a 3″ long oval bowl and total length of 9,″ stamped “Revere” on the reverse of the downturned rounded-end handle, which is monogrammed at the end in foliate script with “DMS,” the initials of prominent Massachusetts couple Daniel Sargent (1731–1806) and Mary Turner Sargent (1743–1813). Mr. Sargent was a successful merchant and Mrs. Sargent was born in the house later made famous in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel House of the Seven Gables. An entry in one of Paul Revere’s ledgers on August 26, 1783, records the commission of a set of one dozen spoons by Daniel Sargent, reading: ‘Daniel Sargent / To 12 large Silver Spoons wt 25 / Making Sl / To Engraving 12 Cyphers.’ This coveted spoon originates from noted silversmith George Gebelein, an avid admirer and collector of Revere’s silver work, who acquired a set of six in 1938. Reference: 1998 encyclopedia on Colonial Massachusetts Silversmiths and Jewelers by Patricia E. Kane (pg. 833). The spoon is beautifully double-cloth-matted and framed with a portrait and engraved plaque to an overall size of 19 x 20.
Remembered for his famous 'midnight ride' in April 1775 to warn his fellow patriots of the approaching British Army, which readied them for the important Battles of Lexington and Concord, Revere was one of the most prominent figures of the Revolutionary era. He was equally renowned for his silverwork, which remains some of the most desirable in the world, coveted as important pieces of artwork in prominent museum collections around the world. An especially interesting feature of this spoon in particular is the date that Sargent ordered it, as recorded in Revere's day book—August 26, 1783. This was just one week before the Treaty of Paris was signed, officially ending the Revolutionary War. An absolutely fantastic piece crafted by the iconic patriot.
