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I don't contest the fact than you'rte a specialist zolotnik, but… Nobody gives the answer to my question, "What silversmith is it", why just answer "I don't know who, but surely not Arnd", ok, you say that you learn a lot from decades, then in place of an abrupt answer, just say ...

Hi Zolotnik, I know you like the word fake, but with a little more fairplay, you can suggest another silversmith in place of an ayatollah of knowledge reaction? You really think somebody takes time to make a small brooch for counterfeighting somebody well known? What I don't like sometimes is people...

Why a bigger problem Qrt.S, for more precise silversmith identification or precisely dating, the 84 used is for me before 1885 when comes the hallmark with the town and Zolotniki in a cartouche ? On brooches, and I've more than 50 in hands in 30 years collecting, if it was one or two with the contro...

Thanks for those complementary informations, it's difficult to say if it is a dot, the hallmark is very tiny and not totally engraved.
As I've found no other SA in St-Petersburg, and Arnd is given to have maid insects or animals, it's certainly from his workshop in my opinion.

As far as my search goes, I found Sven Arnd for this system brooch, what is your opinion? http://i24.servimg.com/u/f24/11/04/31/48/_dsc4117.jpg http://i24.servimg.com/u/f24/11/04/31/48/_dsc4118.jpg http://i24.servimg.com/u/f24/11/04/31/48/_dsc4121.jpg http://i24.servimg.com/u/f24/11/04/31/48/_dsc412...

I've found this item by an aged woman, with many russian other jewelry items which comes directly from his family, the legend about this "pendant" when children ask for is it was for poison, the diameter is 18mm., and it's silver with low carat gold, the closing system is rustically but so...

Thanks Joris, I'm reading 1849 too, with the name you give me I want to search for other similar hallmarks.

These are TS initials on this table snuffbox I can't found on the forum or in my books, do you have any idea please? http://nsm05.casimages.com/img/2011/04/29//110429123136589028073251.jpg http://nsm05.casimages.com/img/2011/04/29//110429123249589028073263.jpg

Thanks a lot Paul, it's exactly what I've on my vinaigrette, the mystery is solved ;-)

Thanks for the enlargement, as I said, my opinion at 60% negative is confirmed by your new picture, for identify, as you can see on fist picture below, bubbles are a good information, on the second one, it's niello and near perfect without bubbles, but the color is clearly niello black-blue when not...

It's really difficult to be affirmative if it's niello or not, on the second picture it seems have some depth, but rounded ends are very difficult to make on a round surface, and uncommon on nielloed work, it is a material similar to niello which is more enamel than painting, french watchmakers used...

Thanks again for the documentation, I have this item since a long time and nobody can say me before what's can be used for.

On this picture it's too difficult to judge if niello or not, but poor execution for a nielloed beaker and style "rustical".
If you have a good picture of just one small part, specially at the end of motives, I can give a better advice.

Thanks, I'm happy you've find some marks unusual as I, in no books can I found the town mark as stamped here, then it's not a fake but only unusual hallmarks, I've seen that with russian silver but not with english items.

I'm not so sure it's not niello Qrt.S, at my opinion they are normal nielloed spoons, on the last picture you can clearly see the trace of engraving filled with niello, I'm collecting niello since 30 years, and I've seen a lot of those soviet work, here it's not of high quality, but very decorative ...

I've bought a vinaigrette which seems to have Birmingham hallmarks, but I can't found any correspondence in my books, can you say me if they are false hallmarks as I suppose please? The hallmarks which seems to be exotic. http://i74.servimg.com/u/f74/11/04/31/48/dsc04111.jpg The engraving quality is...

Thanks Qrt, it seems to be the same model as mine, it's interesting to have two documented versions of the use, it's not a current item at all.

Just for information, here are pictures of a "bad" quality russian enameled piece and the hallmarks, always in the center of the piece when flat under. http://i74.servimg.com/u/f74/11/04/31/48/a700ds11.jpg http://i74.servimg.com/u/f74/11/04/31/48/a700ds10.jpg This is a lot different from y...

-Johanna- wrote:Hello,
I have no idea about the marks, but V and W looks for me like Vine and Water. Jugs for vine and water are used in the Christian religious ceremony.

Johanna

I think the same, they are often on a special tray for transport and stockage.

Thanks Gadolin, but it seems it's really a cake saw, the documentation send by Dognose is in that direction .