www.925-1000.com

Does anyone know if a reference book has ever been published about Hanau silver?

I spotted this trefid spoon in a recent auction. I didn’t buy, it but I am intrigued by the marks, which I cannot find anywhere. Any suggestions?

Geraldo Pace was the Consul for Silversmiths between 1857-1863. His mark was a bird. This might explain the last mark. with a bit of distortion in the stamping. From 1857 a number was struck to indicate the year, starting not with a 57 but a 1. So the 6 would be for 1862.

Paul.

Thanks Qrt.S. Moscow was my first thought, but the town mark, rubbed as it is, does appear to be symmetrical, whereas Moscow’ George and Dragon is asymmetrical.

I am hoping someone can work out what these rather rubbed and skwewed marks are on a large Russian spoon. Its date is 1864, measuring 185mm in length and is of a good gauge silver at 62 grams. https://i.postimg.cc/CBqYqdpD/IMG-0673.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/1V1ScPyd/IMG-0674.jpg

That was close Phil. The Y is actually 1951.

Thank you. Another mystery solved. I really must get a copy of that book.
Paul.

I just found it. It is Francesco French.

The are two spoons from Malta. Both have the same maker’s marks AVC. One has the date code 33 and the other 20. The “20" spoon has a mark which seems to be a canine head and the other a lozenge shape. Although there are plenty of examples of spoons by AVC there do not seem to be any attribution...

On a recent edition of a TV antiques programme one of the "experrts" said that you could tell the difference between silver and silver plated pieces because silver was warmer to the touch than silver plate. I have been handling silver for over 40 years and have never heard of this before, ...

Hello Trev. That sounds plausible. In the absence of any other ideas I will go with that. If it wasn't for the other marks James Leslie was very much in the running. I will put it int my oddities and anomalies file.

Thank,

Paul.

I am pretty certain that this caddy spoon started life as a teaspoon., but I am puzzled by the marks. There appear to be what look like a series of Indian tally marks after the maker’s mark of “J L”, but I cannot find any Indian colonial maker wiih those initials. Am I barking up the wrong tree? Pau...

The China Navigation Company crest, with the Swire group and Swire family motto, Esse Quam Videri – it has been in use by the Swire family since the 18th century. Literally translated, it means “to be, and not to seem to be”. Walker & Hall were major suppliers to shipping companies and other com...

Can anyone help identify the maker of this Maltese dessert spoon please? His mark appears to be a rampant rabbit, but maybe I am just not seeing it correctly. Paul. https://i.postimg.cc/S2w1gjdR/IMG-8396.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/0KDWFxXf/IMG-8393.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/kVgH40DJ/IMG-8395.jpg

Thanks Trev. I should have known that you have records of Portugese silver plate manufacturers! It is silver plated I assume?

Paul.

This rather grand compote belongs to a friend, so I have not actually seen it in the flesh yet, but I have been asked if I can identify the marks. Until I can see it for real I am assuming, from the colour that it is plated. It looks American to me, but I cannot find it in any of my American referen...

I tried it and it is absolutely useless. I hope that the one I have is a prototype because I cannot believe that they would put such a useless article into full production.

Hello Trev, Thanks for plumbing the depths of your library. I would not have thought of a masher. The bend in the bowl is just not deep enough to get any real mashing action going. Also it is of such a size that it would be difficult to tackle anything bigger than a pea! I suppose a good soft potato...

I have just acquired this rather strange for. It is silver plated, by Henry Fielding of Birmingham. It is table fork size The head has short sharp tines and is quite deeply dished. It also has an odd oval hole before the wings on the shaft. The close up picture shows evidence of knife cut marks. I c...

Thanks for your reply Scorpio. I found a mark such as this in a Bonham’s sale attributed to George Moore, but the one illustrated by the museum in Limerick does not have the cut corners as you pointed out. I will send them pictures of this piece as you suggested and await their opinion. In the meant...