A Liberty boxed set of Japanese silver coin spoons

For sale as a set of six are  these early Liberty & Co Japanese silver coin spoons.  The bowl and finial of each spoon represents a scaled down rendition of a Japanese coin from c 1850-1900.  The bowl of each spoon represents a type of gold Koban coin with the die numbers and mint marks.  The finial of each spoon are versions of a Japanese 100 mon bronze coin.

These spoons are all marked for Liberty, London, 1894, and carry the “F” London import mark.  They predate Liberty’s Cymric range when Liberty was largely selling only imported silver.

They are also marked S.M. whose mark typically appears on Liberty & Co’s silver in the 1893-1899 period.  The S.M mark has been documented by Adrien von Ferscht, an expert on Chinese Export Silver, as originating from a little known Canton firm working in Yokahama, Japan, Sadajiro Musashiya.  The firm’s founder and silversmith being Ozeki Sadajiro.  See this link for further information on this mark.

Unusually the back of the bowls of these spoons also carry three other marks  Each carries two small Japanese letter marks – these are probably workers marks.  They also each carry a central mark that appears on a Kakihan 書判 or art seal. In keeping with the spoon designs it also occurs in the reverse centre of gold Koban coins.

The spoons are all in excellent original condition, as is the box, just a few of the silver bamboo stems are ever so slightly mis-shapen.

Price: Sold

Maker: SM, Liberty

Designer: NA

Date: 1894

Marks: S.M.  Ly&Co, London, “T”, “F” import mark, other marks

Material: Sterling Silver

Condition: Excellent

Size: 12.0 cm long

Weight: 0.4 oz, 11 grams each