Page 1 of 1

Birmingham maker's mark B&F on silver bookmark

Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 7:38 pm
by howie
Does anyone know who this manufacturer is? Also can you verify the date. I believe it is 1891. Thanks in advance.
ImageImage

Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 9:31 pm
by 2209patrick
Hi Howie.

I'm not sure of the date mark either.
Just wanted to post a possibility for the B & F mark.

Image
Image

Pat.

Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 3:33 am
by salmoned
It looks like 1897/8

Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 4:53 am
by user701
The date letter looks to be a x for 1897

Betts & Fairfax, Birmingham - mark's registration was 18

Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 10:13 am
by silverport
Hello

Pat's answer on mark B&F is correct! His scann include mark's year of registration - not as interpreted maybe by others, be year of letter X.

It's already mentioned by salmoned and user701 that year mark X signification is 1897 (look also to little bit bigger cut of frame's lower right corner!).

Kind regards silverport

Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 11:52 am
by MCB
Hello,

An alternative for the mark is Bishton & Fletcher who were in business in Birmingham around the time the item was assayed.

Mike

Rescanned hallmark

Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 3:35 pm
by howie
Image
Thanks everyone for the info. I'm still not positive about the date.
I've rescanned the hallmark to make it larger. I think the "x" is really an "r".
Any thoughts.[/url]

Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 4:05 pm
by user701
It is an X for 1897

r date letter is in a round shape, whereas the x is in a square shape

Also there is differences in the letter itself that are obvious that what you show is definitely an x

«Betts & Fairfax» or «Bishton & Fletcher» ?

Posted: Mon Dec 21, 2009 11:55 am
by silverport
Hello

In K.C. Jones compendium on Birmingham maker's is mentioned (p. 308) only Bishton Ltd. - their mark registered in March 1945, with other frame and content - was founded in 1889 by Thomas Bishton. There is no mark shown belonging to Bishton & Fletcher. Well it could be that this 1981 published compendium - all (!) Assay Office files were used - wasn't/isn't the almost sounded research on Birmingham maker's mark?

Bishton Ltd. is there (p. 308) described as a «bullion dealer».

Enlarged shown maker's mark - I think - is that of «Betts & Fairfax» (p. 327, 1st vert. row of marks).

Date later, «user701» already mention to, IS x = 1897(p. 382); and not r = 1891 (p. 382), because - already mentioned to by «user701» - r is in a vertical oval frame = and that isn't the case shown here.

To know for sure which maker is involved here, it is necessary to study product range of these two mentioned company - but where?

Kind regards silverport

Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 8:24 am
by MCB
Hello,
Have a look at http://www.silvermakersmarks.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for the attribution of the mark to Bishton & Fletcher in 1897.
Mike