Need help to identify maker, origin and date of this fork

siggy1 · Post by **siggy1** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 5:45 am

Hello everyone... I have been searching for information on this fork for several months and am no closer to identifying it now than I was before I started searching. I would love to know what each mark on the back of the fork stands for. The fork is silver and not gold as it looks in the picture. In case you can't tell from the picture, the last symbol shown to the right of the marks is a standing eagle, I'm pretty sure, with a 1 above it. I have included a full picture of the fork as well as a close-up picture of the markings on the back of the fork (not handle). I can't get a close-up picture of the mark on the handle so I will do my best to describe it in detail. The animal symbol is so tiny that even with a 30x jeweler's eye, I still can't make it out. Just underneath where the fork and handle are joined (the first section on the handle) there is some type of animal symbol (puffy mark), possibly a horse and rider or perhaps a Pegasus followed by the numbers 31369. This is on both front and back of the handle. In the band underneath this mark on both front and back sides are (5) 0s. I don't know if this is simply part of the decoration or what. Please check out my pictures for further information. Any information offered will be greatly appreciated. Many Thanks!

Please click on the image to enlarge.

siggy1 · Post by **siggy1** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 6:30 pm

12-11-06 I've managed to scan a picture of the Mark on the fork handle (pic #2), but don't know if it is clear enough to identify. The numbers following the symbol are 31369, if that has any bearing on anything. I certainly have no idea as to the identification. If anyone knows where this design may have originated, I would really appreciate hearing from you. Again... Many Thanks!

siggy1 · Post by **siggy1** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 8:04 pm

Question? Is it customary for a silverplate serving piece to be in two sections (such as this one) and then for a "silverplate" handle to be cemented onto the fork? I agree that the fork portion is most likely silverplate, but I'm fairly sure the hollow handle is sterling. Does anyone know of a website of silverplate trademarks so that I may research this further to learn who the Maker is and its origin? Thanks!

Post by **2209patrick** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:28 pm

There were a couple of English silverplate companies that used an eagle mark, but their marks don't match up with yours. Might be an American silverplate mark, but I could not find your mark in my American books either.

Here's a website with some British silverplate marks. Don't think yours is in there, but this site might help you in the future.

http://www.silvercollection.it/silverpl ... marks.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Regards,
Pat.

siggy1 · Post by **siggy1** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:59 pm

Thanks for your post, Pat, and for the information you provided. I thought I might be able to determine the origin by the engraved design but that hasn't worked either. I'll look through the website you suggested and see if I can come up with anything. Thanks again!

siggy1 · Post by **siggy1** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 12:07 am

I found the exact marks that are on my fork in the British Hallmarks section under the comparison of British Silverplate Marks to British Sterling Hallmarks (http://www.925-1000.com/platemarks.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). It doesn't show the 1 stamp though. It is the second top left mark under Silverplate Marks. I still do not know who the Maker is. Anyone out there know who this mark belongs to? I'm a good bit closer to solving the mystery, thanks to the forum. :)

Post by **2209patrick** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 1:36 am

http://www.925-1000.com/platemarks.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Good work. Maybe Tom knows who that mark belongs to.
I just found a possibility. Alfred Field & Company, Birmingham & Sheffield, England (c.1889-1933).

Pat.

Post by **2209patrick** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:03 pm

Maybe I was reaching a bit a with Alfred Field & Company. That second letter does not look much like an F.
Often on British silverplate marks is included an A that only refers to the quality of the silverplate. So your maker's initials might just be C & Co or E & CO, not sure.
The crown mark was intended to mimic the sterling Sheffield crown. Its use was banned on British silverplate around 1897.
Wish I could have helped more. If I come accross any information I'll post it here.

Regards,
Pat.

Post by **admin** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:38 pm

Can't say I know the maker, the mark I used on the page came from a very early forum post that is long gone. I believe these initials are AT&Co - whenever I am unsure about a gothic font letter, I check it against the sterling date code charts for a matching font to ID the letter. The second letter is a dead match for Birmingham's 1842 "T"

Regards, Tom

siggy1 · Post by **siggy1** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 8:05 pm

Thank you both Pat and Tom. I really appreciate the time you have spent in helping me to identify this mark. At least we're pretty sure it's probably mid to late 19th century, correct? Pat, I don't believe my eagle looks enough like the one of Alfred Field & Company as mine is in a shield not a circle, unless that has to do with the date, and the eagle's wings on mine aren't as spread out as Alfred Field & Company.

Tom, I agree with you that it definitely looks like an A.T.& Co., but are you saying that you can date the item by the style of the Maker's initials such as the case with the T?

Thank you both again and kudos to both of you and to the forum.
Fran

Post by **2209patrick** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 9:10 pm

If those are Btitish silverplate marks then your fork would date from the mid to late 19th century. Electroplating was not in widespread use until 1850. As I said before, the use of the crown mark on British silverplate was banned around 1897.

I did check my references for an A.T.& Co mark, but no luck.

Pat.

siggy1 · Post by **siggy1** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 9:52 pm

Thanks again Pat, for the additional information. Maybe the maker of this fork wasn't that well known and it being in the mid to late 19th century makes information more scarce. Hopefully something will turn up on it one day.

I re-posted a silver/silverplate tray today that I had posted 16 months ago and never got any information on. I noticed that there are at least two items posted with the same trademarks. I read your posts to them and at least have something to go on. Maybe that mark is also an unknown trademark and is old enough that there aren't that many around anymore. I would at least like to know its origin. I've had it for over 30 years and my husband bought it used. I'll keep a lookout for additional post on it also.

As always, many thanks for all your hard work!
Fran

siggy1 · Post by **siggy1** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:16 pm

Tom, in your post on Dec 12, you mentioned that you believe the AT&Co hallmark letters on my fork appear to be Gothic but, after some reseach, I believe that the letters on the fork are the upper case Old English font. This could also mean that the fork does not date as early as previously thought, although the cemented joint does appear to be pretty old? Do you or anyone else know which Silversmiths used or uses the Old English font in their hallmarks? Any info at all will be much appreciated. Many Thanks.
siggy1

Here's a picture of the hallmarks. Click on the image to enlarge.