Notes
Owner: Henry, Elvira McClelland
This serving spoon was one of a set commissioned by or for Elvira McClelland Henry (1808-1875) sometime after her marriage to John Henry (1796-1868) in 1826. It was used at Red Hill.
The spoon bears the maker's mark of James Watts (d. 1888). Based in Philadelphia, PA, Watts's firm was a prolific flatware manufacturer and operated between ca. 1835 and 1888. It's believed this particular mark with the eagle head facing right, above a bar and chevron, is an earlier iteration and dates the spoon sometime between the 1850s and early-to-mid-1860s.
The stamp of E. D. Guthrie indicates the retailer. It is not known where Guthrie was located, but based on other silver items purchased by John and Elvira Henry, it is likely Guthrie was based in Richmond, VA.
The turned down fiddleback design and prominent fins above the bowl were popular in the 19th century. Until 1840, fiddleback handles turned down, but gradually began to turn up again during the mid-19th century.
Following the death of John Henry in 1868, the spoon appears in an estate inventory taken at Red Hill as part of "1 Set Silver ware, spoons, forks, knives & Ladle, Fruit Dish & Boxes & castors." This grouping of items was valued at $125.
Susan Dabney was a descendent of Patrick Henry. She gave the serving spoon to the Patrick Henry Memorial Foundation on long-term loan on October 26, 1976. Following Dabney's death, PHMF attempted to get in contact with her descendants in 2021, with all mailings being returned and no known phone numbers available. After exhausting all avenues of contact, the spoon was considered abandoned property and was formally accessioned into the collection on November 4, 2022.