A rare pair of solid sterling silver tablespoons made in 1774 by John Leslie in the Scottish town of Aberdeen. Aberdeen provincial silver has always been a favorite among British silver collectors; 18th-century pieces with clear hallmarks—especially those bearing the three castles town mark—are exceptionally scarce. This pair features a classic 18th-century design with no flaws or repairs, making them truly hard to come by. Measuring approximately 22 cm in length and weighing about 111 grams for the pair, the hallmarks match the examples on page 584 of Jackson’s Silver & Gold Marks for England, Scotland and Ireland, the authoritative encyclopedia of British silver edited by Ian Pickford.