City's silver spoon from reign of Charles II up for auction

The cutlery was created in 1676, at a time when the city was the country's largest outside London and was much admired for the quality of silver which was produced.

It had its own silver assay office - where the precious metal was tested - during three periods from 1565-1701.

The trefid spoon which will go under the hammer (Image: Chiswick Auctions)

But, by the 18th century production had slowed and silverware made in the city was sent for marking elsewhere.

As so much was melted down in the Georgian era, relatively little has survived.

But one rare survivor is a silver trefid spoon, which will be auctioned later this month.

Trefid means divided or split into three parts, with this spoon featuring the Norwich mark of the castle above a lion.

The spoon which will go under the hammer dates to 1676. (Image: Chiswick Auctions)

It has a maker's mark for Arthur Haslewood II. He was a member of the Haslewood family of silversmiths who prospered for three generations from around 1625-1740.

Arthur Haselwood II was the husband of Elizabeth Haselwood (1644-1715) - the only woman silversmith known to have worked in the city.

She proved successful in a male-dominated trade, taking over the workshop upon Arthur’s death in 1684 and continuing to trade under her own name well into the 18th century.

She and her husband are buried in the same tomb in St Andrew’s Church, Norwich.

St Andrew's Church in Norwich (Image: Archant)

The spoon is expected to bring between £3,000 and £5,000 when it is auctioned in London by Chiswick Auctions on October 19.

John Rogers, from Chiswick Auctions, said: "It is always a joy to be able to offer East Anglian silver, which is now vanishingly rare.

"A Norwich trefid spoon is a wonderful, fresh to the market find."

And Mr Rogers is still hoping to one day find a piece of silver from another Norfolk location.

He said: "I still have yet to find a piece of silver marked for King’s Lynn so the journey continues.”