1740 Cup John Main GEO Assay Mark

[Aguest]

Ok let us now hope for the best image loading :::







I don't understand what the fourth hallmark is for. The makers mark is for "John Main." The date letter code is for 1740 (although, to be honest, even this does not look exactly like the image in the list of date letters for Edinburgh, but it is closest to 1740). The GEO hallmark is the assay master hallmark which only lasted a few years due to a dispute in the hallmarking office at the time. The fourth hallmark, I do not understand. Is it for a provincial town, or is it perhaps another mark which I am not familiar with? I will get better pics of that mark, as it is very difficult to distinguish.

[Aguest]

I meant to say GED hallmark, my mistake, see the Contributor's Notes for a good description of this particular GED hallmark.

[Aguest]

The mystery hallmark is nearest the top of the image:

[Aguest]

When I use tinypic, it always says "Image Failed," so I have switched image hosting services and I am trying to figure out how to re-size this larger:




Was the mark of GED as assay master used from 1740-1744?

I don't understand the fourth hallmark here. Does it indicate a provincial Scottish town, or does it indicate the "Old Scottish Silver Standard" which, if I am reading this correctly, was just slightly below sterling silver?

[Aguest]

It looks like that hallmark is just the Edinburgh towers mark, badly miss truck, such that it is not really recognizable, this is since John Main was an Edinburgh silversmith and not a provincial silversmith, as I have read at least as much :::

[dognose]

Hi Aguest,

I think you've nailed it. It's a very nice find.

Trev.

[Archivist]

Hi there

Please see Silver Studies, 2006, the article by Rodney Dietert: the JM in a shaped punch has been definitively re-ascribed to James Mitchelson (active 1706-1757). According to our records, John Main emigrated to Cadiz in August 1734, so the piece cannot be by him.

Best wishes

Elspeth

Archivist, Incorporation of Goldsmiths of the City of Edinburgh

[dognose]

Hi Elspeth,

Many thanks for updating the topic, it is appreciated.

Trev.

[Aguest]

Wow, that is amazing, I found a few John Main hallmarks in my research, so I suppose all of them had been mis-attributed?

Are the two hallmarks extremely similar?

Thanks for updating this topic, now I am glad I posted this to the forums, this could be of great service to collectors of Scottish Silver.