Russian silver forks with crest

PHOTOS REQUIRED - marks + item
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Fnugent
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2018 1:59 pm

Russian silver forks with crest

Post by Fnugent »

Hello, I am hoping someone can help identify the marks on the Russian silver fork images below. I have searched this site and others for similar silver marks but can not find any. There are 11 large dinner forks and 7 small dessert/salad forks - all have the eagle crest. I appreciate very much any help.
Thanks

Image

Image
AG2012
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Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2012 9:47 am

Re: Russian silver forks with crest

Post by AG2012 »

Hi,
Welcome to the forum.
Why Russian ?
One makerş mark belongs to William Eley, William Fearn & William Chawner (London).
Initials WC (partial mark ?) on top can be William Chawner II.
Different date letters.
Regards
Fnugent
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2018 1:59 pm

Re: Russian silver forks with crest

Post by Fnugent »

I was told they were Russian. There may have been some confusion about the two headed eagle crest being similar to the Russian imperial crest. Thanks so much for your quick response- good to know the true origin.
AG2012
contributor
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Re: Russian silver forks with crest

Post by AG2012 »

Hello again,
If you wonder what`s small ``flower`` mark beside sponsor`s mark (far left), it`s journeyman's mark who was the actual flatware maker, employed by the the sponsor.
Regards
Aguest
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Re: Russian silver forks with crest

Post by Aguest »

The double-headed eagle has been used at least as far back as the Hittite Empire (1700-1200 BC) and since then it has been used as a symbol of royal authority by various cultures, including the Byzantine Empire, the Holy Roman Empire, Russia, Albania, Mysore (in India), Yugoslavia, Austria, Serbia, Spain, Germany, the list goes on and on :::

I also assumed it was a symbol of Imperial Russian Authority for a long time, but the more I learned about it, the more I realized that many cultures claim the double-headed eagle as a symbol of power and authority :::

It's much more complex than I originally thought :::
Fnugent
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2018 1:59 pm

Re: Russian silver forks with crest

Post by Fnugent »

Very interesting points. Many thanks to you both!
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