If you'd like to find out more about these and other Gibraltar silversmiths, Wynyard Wilkinson wrote an article on the subject in the 2011 Silver Society Journal entitled The Key to Gibraltar.
Can anyone tell me if these are silver or silver plate markings? Miles http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h200/granmaa/RIMG00012_zps919aa2e9.jpg http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h200/granmaa/RIMG0002_zpsa3677fcb.jpg http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h200/granmaa/RIMG0003_zps76861563.jpg
This is a curious set of marks that I have seen on two other objects. The first is a pair of sugar nips/tea tongs of c.1760 form. The second is a bizarre spoon which can be found in this thread: http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=13042&hilit=squirrel I'm no closer to finding ...
An attractive Arts & Crafts style silver on brass dish with three different marks: 1- LOYS 2- Execute par LO-YS a la main 3- PARIS LOYS Does anyone know anything about LOYS? Miles http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h200/granmaa/11_zps67eb7abc.jpg http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h200/granmaa/12_...
You're quite right: the maker's mark could be on the tang. From the shape of the lion passant (and because it's the case with most of these c.1800 fruit knives) we can see that your example was made in Sheffield.
The man who made your spoon was William Welch of Exeter. Tim Kent wrote a good article on this subject called "A little light on the Welches" in The Finial. It can be read here: http://www.bexfield.co.uk/thefinial/pdf/20-01.pdf