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Greetings from NZ. I am currently researching four spoons recovered Dec 2016 from a rescue excavation at the Melanesian Mission (Mission Bay) site here in Auckland NZ (see URL: http://www.heritage.org.nz/news-and-eve ... an-mission ).

There is one teaspoon that I am having difficulty with (photos attached). There are two stamps on the back side of the handle of this tsp: (1) RIVAL SILVER/ MADE IN ENGLAND; and (2) ?LAIDLAWLEE/ AUCKLAND. I am uncertain as to the LAIDLAWLEE, but I do understand that there was a silver plating works called the ‘Auckland Works’ located at 37 Eldon Street Sheffield UK. The other three spoons were manufactured by Lee & Wigfull, and John Round & Son.

Any help you are able to offer would be gratefully appreciated.

Regards, Ian.

Ian Lawlor, Heritage Advisor, Northern Region| Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga | Auckland NZ

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Hi Ian,

Welcome to the Forum.

The spoon, as you're noted, was made in England, but marked for the customer, Laidlaw Leeds, an Auckland mail-order house.

See: http://natlib.govt.nz/records/23235191? ... h%5D=items

It was normal practice for plated items to marked with the customer's name when a large enough order was given.

I'm unsure who used the trade name 'RIVAL SILVER', but will try and find more information.

Trev.

Trev. Thanks for your help; I will be in Wellington shortly and will use the National Library link to searxch out the Laidlaw Leeds 1916 catalogue. Regards, Ian.