www.925-1000.com

I know what you mean about the Channel Islands. I do have a C. I. spoon with that crossed L. A duty dodger is a possibility.

Hello Aguest, Thank you for your response. I did consider Daniel Beets, but the “D” on this spoon is very distinctive and does not match any examples of his punch which I have seen. He was also working rather later than the style of spoon would suggest. Although style in colonial silver cannot reall...

Hello Trev,

That was the only person who came close, but I can't find an exact match. It may be that the mark is so distorted that what I am seeing as a pellet after the "M" is the bottom of the "c".

Happy New Year.

Paul.

This is the mark on an Old English pattern tea spoon. It is difficult to see from the pictures, but there is a rubbed mark on the left which I can just make out to be a capital “B”. There is an “H” then a maker’s mark and then what appears to be an “R”. The maker’s mark seems to be “M• ?”. I have se...

This is an ordinary bright cut table spoon, but all of my searches cannot trace the maker. It is “DB” struck twice, with a crossed downstroke on the “D” Any ideas anyone?

So true about accountants running businesses about which they know nothing. I left the silver business when the family buisness I worked for brought in a team from the cheaper end of the shoe trade. They could just about tell you that forks were the spikey ones!

Hello Trev, These are the marks on a paper knife from W&H New Zealand. Next to the W&H mark is Rangitoto, a landmark island in the harbour of Auckland, and the kiwi. I suspect that the W&H mark is not an original punch. Paul. https://i.postimg.cc/yW0t6FBX/New-Zealnd.jpg

Hello Trev, That was my first thought. I have been in touch with W&H NZ. They say that it is nothing to do with them. There were also branches in Australia and South Africa, so it is possible that the partially made theory could apply there. Unfortunately they are all now closed and there is no ...

Not really a mystery object. It is obviously a napkin ring. What is mysterious is the mark. Firstly it is inside the ring, whereas it would more commonly be expected to be on the outside. Secondly it has the Waker & Hall pennant mark, but not a full hallmark, merely a punched “silver” mark. I ha...

That is an excellent example!

Hello Trev.
That sounds plausible. I have only ever seen the mark on London pieces, usually by Hester Bateman, who seemed to have some kind of duty dodging thing going on with the Channel Islands.

Regards,

Paul.

Maurice Ridgeway reports that eight drawback punches were delivered to the Chester Assay Office, but there is no evidence of them being used. So it can be supposed that other offices also had drawback punches issued.

Here is a puzzling question which I was recently asked. Did Scottish silver ever have a duty drawback mark?

It might be a rather distorted mark of Twentyman & Co Calcutta.

Norwich is an intersting thought. I have seen examples of Scottish silver with the "wavy" edge. Also pieces of Hanau silver amongst others The joint is a rather nice ribbed rattail.

I have put this in the Provincial & Colonial Marks section, but I am not sure just where it is from. Any ideas anyone?

These are the marks on a cake stand from 1912 showing both the Walker & Hall pennant and the Henry Wilkinson crossed keys.

If it helps, the pattern in called Nevil. According to the Watchmaker, Jewller and Silversmiths "Guide to Flatware" 1955,it was made by several manufacturers. Which doesn't explain the Registration mark.

Conclusive proof. The case in your picture shows that this is a set by Walker & Hall. This is an extract from a Walker & Hall catalogue from 1901.

Paul.

Thank you for your opinion Qrt.S