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Mappin & Webb Date Letter Marks

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 12:35 pm
by Kilduffs
Would appreciate if anyone could point me in the direction of a website that provides the code to M&W's date letters for their silverplate wares (or who could provide me with a chart!). Am particularly interested in dating Canadian railway/steamship/hotel items which should date between the late 1800's and the mid 1900's and of which M&W manufactured oodles. THANKS!!

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 5:58 pm
by dragonflywink
Seems to me that Mappin & Webb can be dated roughly by the style of their trademark, don't believe that their silverplate pieces were marked with a yearly date code like Elkington used. Somewhere in my references (can't seem to locate it!), I have an article on the various letters that sometimes show up on M&W, believe they were a reference to the quality of plating rather than date. Hopefully someone with a better knowledge of British silverplate can be more help.

Cheryl ;o)

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 1:44 pm
by Bernard C
Kilduffs & Cheryl – I believe I have found proof that the letters framed in a shield on Mappin & Webb's Prince's Plate, Queen's Plate, and Mappin Plate are date letters.

I can't post the information here, as the main element of my proof is evidence from a set of spoons offered for sale on a commercial website, so please link to the topic on the Glass Message Board.

To do this you will have to register here, login, and then link to the topic here.

What is your impression of George Mappin's deafening silence on these date letters?

Bernard C.

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 11:52 pm
by Bernard C
Cheryl – Thanks for looking. Isn't that mixed set of spoons wonderful, picked from stock just after the change from G to H (or H to G, but unlikely). I love mixed sets, they can tell you so much. I went looking for that set, although I didn't think I had a chance of finding one.

The marks web page shows a whole variety of these letters, both upper- and lower-case, so there could be a sequence of up to 52 years. Do you know of any dateable pieces in the three Mappin & Webb ranges mentioned or any other range by them?

Bernard C.

Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 4:13 pm
by dragonflywink
British silverplate isn't really an area I delve into much, sounds like an interesting research project though, if you have the time.

~Cheryl

Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 3:25 am
by Bernard C
Cheryl (and anyone else interested) – I think we have Mappin & Webb plate date letters sorted out now, although it would be nice to find more dateable pieces as confirmation. See the Glass Message Board topic referred to above.

Bernard C.

Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 11:47 am
by 2209patrick
Hello Bernard.
It's been a rough week here, so I'm slow responding.

Read the other thread and it makes a lot of sense to me.
Have to admit that I have not checked into the Mappin & Webb date marks before.

Pat.