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The fancy-back part of the spoon made me think about Philadelphia. ::::

Wait, that's the father of Ayers, that was not a silversmith. ::::: Error. 404. :::::

Silas Ayers (1749-1826) No known examples, but that's more like the date of birth that I would expect with this spoon. :::: I'm guessing made in 1770s. :::: Samuel Avery is so close, you just want it to be Samuel Avery so badly, and yet Samuel Avery is too late for the form. :::: Still there's a sma...

The tip of the spoon seems very sharp which I always try to check for signs of use. ::: Seems like this spoon was not used very much at all. :::: What is the length of the spoon? ::::

I've seen such obliteration once on a very fancy Gorham server :::: I assume the Gotham server was sold to a retailer and then that retailer hallmark was cancelled and the Gotham server was either sent back to the company or sent to another retailer. :::: I also have noted obliteration on a coin sil...

It's one of the more confusing areas I've run into, why this happened in Italy I do not understand. :::: It is confusing that some pieces from Italy marked (800) are actually solid silver, while other pieces are actually silver plated on top of base metal :::: This is a tricky area for the novice si...

I'm so used to seeing this form in American silver from 1870-1880. :::: I'm really surprised that this comes from the year 1832 in England. :::: Based on form and style alone, it seems decades ahead of its time. ::::

The snake looks more like a "sidewinder" than a rattlesnake. ::: The font of the "Sterling" stamp I do recognize from many different Native American pieces over the years. ::: That's good it is found in the "unidentified" category so hopefully, given enough time, other ...

A name alone appears on solid coin silver objects from the mid-19th century. ::: I have always seen this in coin silver and never sterling silver. ::: I wonder if there are a lot of sterling silver objects with only a name stamped on them because I do have a silver bowl with only a name stamped on i...

You are welcome. :::: Do you believe the mystery has been solved? ::: The last 4 letters seem to be a match, but the first letters seem completely obliterated, but you have the best viewpoint with the object in hand, of course. ::

It very well could be from Israel and that hallmark with the number is one of the "Mem" silver hallmarks which has the letter "Mem" and a number. :::: I believe I see the letter "Mem" and another Hebrew letter next to it (not sure what that letter is) and there is a num...

What if that town mark to the right is a winged horse (Pegasus) symbol? ::: Anton Jakob Jörgensson, Ystad 1832. :::: This could be it. ::::

What if the town mark could be identified? ::: Might that possibly be helpful in this case? :::: Still searching....

It looks like the letter "N" but all I can come up with is {Nils Leonard Dahlström, Örebro 1880} and there is too much room for doubt. ::::

Elsa Peretti Passed Away. ::::: Elsa Perth, the Italian-born jewelry designer who revolutionized the industry with her biomorphic designs inspired by bone fragments and pebbles, has died, age 80. Peretti is arguably the most successful female ever to work in the jewelry field. Vogue described her wo...

Did Sweden and Finland have a minimum fineness for gold? ::: Is it possible that this is 9K gold and the hallmarks are just pseudo hallmarks meant to imitate either Sweden or Finland because 9K lies outside the minimum fineness required for official assay marks? ::: Just a theory ::::

I get the feeling this is an older piece (1940s-1950s) based on the clasp and the way the piece is constructed ::: If it's true that this is an older piece, then it makes the work of finding a match more difficult ::: The bars seem like they have been cast from a mold, the rings seem like they have ...

Indeed I thought Rajasthan India as well. ::: I've searched through Rajasthan India and found similar examples ::: Rajasthan India is very possible. ::

It could be Dagestan, some parts of the necklace remind me of Dagestan. :::: If not Dagestan, then we explore other possibilities (certain regions of India do come to mind). :::

I have a 3-Chambered silver enameled "OI XC" sterling silver object, the "Unction Sacrament Set" which contained holy oil. ::: I'm not sure if this would be an object for storing the holy oil for last rites or not? ::: I guess a small icon or a picture of a loved one makes more s...