An Ilkhanid or Goldon Horde engraved parcel gilt silver spoon, Central Asia or North Iran, 14th century, with elliptical mouth and rounded sides, the long, thin handle bending back on itself and with central ridge and hook terminal spreading from the rim on one side, the base engraved and pounced with a lobed quatrefoil depicting flowerheads and palmettes, the handle with a scroll on a pounced background, the handle stem broken, spoon mouth, 6cm. diam. Provenance: UK Trade, 2004This spoon relates to a small number of similar vessels and bowls, all but two of which are made of silver rather than gold, most of which are in the State Hermitage, St. Petersburg, having been excavated in areas within the former Soviet Union where "several dozen" have been excavated (Anatoli Ivanov (intro. by) Masterpieces of Islamic Art in the Hermitage Museum, Kuwait, 1990, no.62, p.94). A number of these, showing some of the variety of form and decoration, are published in The Treasures of the Golden Horde, exhibition catalogue, Saint Petersburg 2000, nos.40, 41, 46, and 57-69, pp.219-231. There is also an example in the David Collection, Copenhagen (Kjeld von Folsach et al.: Sultan, Shah and Great Mughal, exhibition catalogue, Copenhagen, 1996, no.253, p.276), while further examples were sold at Christie's, 10 October 2000, lot 275, Christie's 23 October 2007, Lot 142 and Sotheby's 18 April 2007, Lot 108.Please refer to department for condition report