Need Help Identifying Vintage Asian Silver Golf Cup

[Tim Wellman]

The markings are on the bottom rim... there is some asian script and 'TC' (it looks like asian script, but I may be completely mistaken :-). In case you can't make out the full-sized pic, the cup has crossed golf clubs on each side, is a little over 3 inches tall. Thanks

[dognose]

Hi, I have Chinese spoon with the same TC mark which I believe originally came from Shanghi, before the Japanese invasion of China there was a huge western population in the city for many years and it would be no surprise that events such as golf tournaments were held. I believe it was common practise for local craftsmen in the middle and far east to mark their wares in both scripts where there was a high proportion of westerners. regards Trev.

[admin]

Hi,
The maker is Tuck Chang, working at 1285 Broadway, Honghew in Shanghai. Late 19th through 1st quarter 20th century.

Regards, Tom

[dognose]

Hi Tom, Thats good to know, I have wondered about it for many years, thank you, regards Trev.

[Tim Wellman]

Thanks a lot for the info. Does anyone know whether it would be sterling, or .900 silver? I've seen it referred to as 'export silver'... was that good, or bad? :-)

Is the other mark just Tuck Chang's name in Chinese, or some mark of silver quality?


Thanks again!
Tim

[admin]

The TC mark is illustrated in "Chinese Export Silver 1785 to 1885" (pub. Museum of the China Trade, 1975) and includes a Chinese character mark similar to yours, though I truly cannot tell if the characters are the same. They translate their mark as "the mark of K'uan" with no explanation. I do not believe it is a silver standard mark, it may be the name that TC went by in Chinese or another maker's mark and TC was the retailer.
Chinese silver of this period was usually .900 in purity and often carried a "90" stamp to indicate it. "Good or Bad" don't really apply, Export Silver is simply a convenient label for the genre and many people are intrigued by it.

Regards, Tom