Strange marks - Need help....please...

[KiwiCollector]

Okay, have found this spoon in a box of bits and pieces. Now I know a little about silver and plate, but in NZ we mainly deal with stuff post 1890. This though has me stumped, I have perused lots of sites but an't work out the marks. Probably not helping that they are quite worn. Its not plated, and I am almost positive its silver, so please. someone put me out of my agony!!!! I think it may be a piece made to look older than it really is, but in reality I don't have a clue....

[admin]

The mark on your spoon is illustrated in "Chinese Export Silver 1785 to 1885" (pub. Museum of the China Trade, 1975), and the museum has a 4 1/2 fiddle pattern condiment spoon by the same maker in their collection. The name of the maker is not known, but he is thought to have worked in Canton, active c.1830.
Regards, Tom

[KiwiCollector]

Many thanks Tom, how fascinating! I wonder how on earth it ended up in NZ? That would make it older than our founding document signed in 1840. Perhaps it belonged to the skipper of a trading vessel that settled here.....