Who is the maker of this silver spoon?

[IreneGP]

This spoon was brought over from Suwalki, Poland (then part of Russia) in the 1870's by my great-grandmother. From the excellent item on Russian silver marks on this site, I can tell that it is 87.5% silver, the assayer was T.T and it was made in 1861 (the one is a little worn and so does not show up well in the picture). I would like to know who made the spoon, since I didn't see this maker's mark in the lists.




(admin photo edit - images too large - link only - see Posting Requirements )

[Zolotnik]

Hi IreneGP -

Your spoon was made 186? in Vilnius by the wellknown firm/silversmith M..Epel (1854-1867).
Nice spoon!

Regards
Zolotnik

[Qrt.S]

Hopefully this will not disappoint you but your spoon has nothing to do with Poland. It is made in Lithuania in Vilnius/Vilna under Russian rule by M. Epel (1854-67) and assayed by Timofey Tripetsky (1859-79). The town mark shows Vytis the white knight of Lithuania.

[IreneGP]

Wow, that was fast! Thanks so much to both of you!

The spoon was not made in what is now Poland, but, mid-19th century, Suwalki bordered Vilna - see, e.g., http://www.jewishgen.org/jgsi/pale.htm - no it is not surprising that a Suwalki resident would have a spoon made in Vilna.

[blakstone]

Mordecai Shmuel Abraham Epel, born in Vilnius 1830, son of goldsmith Abraham Epel. Master 5 August 1854. Four apprentices between 1856 and 1859; submitted 71.35 pounds of silver for assay in 1859 and 68.25 pounds in 1860. No record of his death, but still listed in the register of Vilnius Jewish silversmiths in 1865.

[Dad]

Hi, blakstone.

Thank you very much. Is this information from the "Lietuvos auksakalystÄ—"?

[blakstone]

Yes it is. It's a very helpful book, but I'm guessing not that easy to find even though it's only about 12 years old. I bought my copy new on eBay from someone in Lithuania back when it came out.

[Dad]

Yes it is. It's a very helpful book, but I'm guessing not that easy to find even though it's only about 12 years old. I bought my copy new on eBay from someone in Lithuania back when it came out.

Yes. I completely agree with you. Edmundas Laucevičius collected very good actual stuff. Unfortunately it is very rare book. Can I ask You to give information from this book about some silversmiths from Vilno and Kovno?

[blakstone]

Certainly. PM me the names and I'll take a look.