We know from other “early” electroplate concerns that a “B” can be used to indicate a “Birmingham” base of operations for a company and our web site states quite clearly that the “Page’s” operation was in Birmingham.
I had reason to review that idea after comments firstly by “Dognose” and subsequently by “Silvermakersmarks”, sagely, added to my recent post about a War Department cutlery item. Sorry, it is my new lost thing to be found, but below is another War Department broad arrow mark.
Dognose’s quote
I have seen on line a “Page” 1938 War Department set of marks and that item may well have been made in “Birmingham” before WW2 started but you have to expect that “William Page” had a branch in “Sheffield” to make the 1940 item.During WWII flatware production was limited, by government order, to Sheffield only, with the Birmingham factories being converted to producing goods for the war effort.
Silvermakersmarks suggests that if a concern is forced to move to Sheffield because of WW2 exigiencies, it could be economic sense to have a post war Sheffield base.To underline this observation there are references elsewhere (including in another post in our forum) that there was a “William Page & Partners” based in Sheffield and below are a couple more images to illustrate this.
It is likely there is more information needed to date and explain this “Sheffield” period fully and where is a better place to ask the questions other than in this forum?
Until this weekend I thought I had sorted all the things I wanted to say about the “WP” mark. However for anybody who has more than a passing interest in silver plate please view my last image and add any information you have.
I know one thing that this sauce ladle must have been made before 1895 because of the legislation of that date prohibiting the use of a crown mark on electroplated ware. Who is this WP please? Must we assume this is William Page of Birmingham?
Fishless