A set of twelve central European silver Parcel-gilt apostle spoons A complete set of twelve Hungarian silver parcel-gilt Apostle spoons. Although the spoons are unmarked they originate from Hungary and are most likely to date to the late 16th century as do all comparable examples. Each spoon has a spade-shaped bowl and plain stem of rectangular section, with a grotesque mask lower terminal extending to a rat-tail on the reverse. The terminals are each formed as a different Apostle. All stems carry an engraving with an inscription of a part of the apostles creed. Read together the spoons are inscribed with almost the entire creed. The upper bowl of each spoon is engraved with a coat-of-arms and the initials I.D.. The apostle finials, grotesque masks, rat tails and coat of arms are gilded. The engraving is enhanced with a red colour. Complete sets of Apostle Spoons from the this period are rare survivors. INSCRIPTIONS: Saint Peter: + Credo + In + Dev¯ + Patre¯ + Omnipote¯tem + Saint Andrew: Et + In + Ihesum + Christum + Filiv¯ + Eivs + Saint John: + Conceptus + Est + De + Spiritu + Sancto + Saint James the Less: Crucifixus + Mortvvs + Et + Sepvltvs + Saint Matthew: + Tertia + Die + Resurrexit + A + Mortvis + Saint James the great : + Ascendit + Ad + Coelos + Saint Philip: Ve¯tvrvs · Est + Ivdicare + Vivos + Mortvos + Saint Bartholomew: + Credo + In + Spiritvm + Sanctvm + Saint Matthias: + Sanctam + Ecclesiam + Catholicam+ + Saint Simon: + Sanctorvm + Co¯mvnione¯ + Remissionem + Saint Thomas: + Carnis + Resvrrectionem + Saint Judas Thaddeus: + Vitam + Aeternam + + + Amen :+: MEASUREMENTS AND WEIGHT: - length: 19,5 cm. - width (bowl): 5,3 cm. - height: 1,8 cm. - all spoons together weigh: 618 grams. Comparable Spoons A very similar Apostle spoon, with the same characteristic shape of the bowl, is present in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum in New York, Accession Number: 2010.110.74. That spoon is dated to the 16th–17th century. A number of comparable spoons can be found in the collection of the Museum of applied Arts in Budapest, accession numbers:. 3269, 68.253.1, 60.537.1, 62.1423.1. A comparable set, but less ornate and probably somewhat later, was auctioned by Christies on 20 Nov. 2001, Auction 6515: Important Silver, Lot 135. Provenance • Private collection in Scandinavia • sold Vienna, 13 February 2021, Karabela Auctions • private Collection in the Netherlands