Unusual Large & Heavy Danish Silver & Amethyst Pendant

[norfolkne]

Is anyone able to help me identify the following pendant? It is stamped "STERLING" & "DENMARK" on either side of the pendant towards the top where the bail is. On the reverse of the lower part of the pendant are 4 very tiny markswhich are difficult to read even using a loupe. One of the marks is ".925" another looks like the omega symbol. One mark looks like a lower case "r" which may be a date letter and if so I would guess at 1977. The beginning of the makers mark is unfortunately rubbed. I can make out the 2nd and 3rd letters which appear to be an "S" and a "D", the first letter (assuming there are only 3) appears to be a "U", "J" or an "O". However I am unable to find any Danish makers mark that would correspond with any of these.

To my untrained (with regards scandinavian jewellery) eye, it appears to be a 1970s and what would perhaps be described as a modernist piece. It is heavy and large although I haven't weighed or measured it yet. The best way I can describe the shape is like a mandolin. The bowl shaped end is hollow and has naturalistic almost bark like features inside with an amethyst ball in the bottom.

Any help will be most appreciated. I will post more images tomorrow.

Thank you.

[dognose]

Hi,

Welcome to the Forum.

If you cannot capture an image of the marks, draw what you can see, and take an image of the drawing.

Trev.

[norfolkne]

Apologies for the delay. I have included some more photographs below. The pendant measures 7.5cm long and weighs 31g. I was told that the pendant was purchased in the late 60s or early 70s in Scandinavia (specifically Norway). However I believe that the "omega" symbol is an import mark and that there is therefore a possibility that what I thought was a Danish maker's mark (that I have described above and is rubbed & difficult to capture) is in fact a retailer's mark and that the piece was purchased elsewhere.

[dognose]

Hi,

The mark on the back of the bowl is a London Import mark with a date letter (r?) that appears to indicate 1972.

The sponsor's mark may, or may not, be that of the maker, but perhaps just that of an importer.

Trev.

[norfolkne]

Hi

Thank you for your help.

Yes the date letter is an 'r'. Below is a close up (cropped) photo of the marks. The sponsor's mark is easier to see although the first letter is only partially visible. The second letter is an 'S' as I stated above, however, the third letter is in fact a 'C' and not a 'D' as I stated above. So the sponsor's mark is- '*SC'. There is a solid line on the right side of the first letter, so that doesn't leave too many options looking at the shape of it - J,U,O?

[norfolkne]

Below is a better image of the front of the pendant -

[norfolkne]

Hi

Thank you for your help.

Yes the date letter is an 'r'. Below is a close up (cropped) photo of the marks. The sponsor's mark is easier to see although the first letter is only partially visible. The second letter is an 'S' as I stated above, however, the third letter is in fact a 'C' and not a 'D' as I stated above. So the sponsor's mark is- '*SC'. There is a solid line on the right side of the first letter, so that doesn't leave too many options looking at the shape of it - J,U,O?

Apologies, scratch the above with regards to the third letter. I think the angle of the cropped photo is misleading as I have just checked again with my loupe and the third letter is definitely a 'D' and not a 'C'. Therefore the sponsor's mark is '*SD', which leads me to the possibility that the first letter is also a 'D' and that the sponsor's mark is 'DSD' which would stand for 'Danish Silver Design'?

[dognose]

Therefore the sponsor's mark is '*SD', which leads me to the possibility that the first letter is also a 'D' and that the sponsor's mark is 'DSD' which would stand for 'Danish Silver Design'?

It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. - Sherlock Holmes

Source: A Scandal in Bohemia - Arthur Conan Doyle

:)))

Trev.

[norfolkne]

Hi Trev,

Yes it was a theory, but that is all it was. If (and I know that it is not certain) the first letter is a 'D', then I theorised that it could stand for 'Danish Silver Designs' as 'DSD' is the mark for this company. I am aware that the first letter might not be a 'D' and that even if it is, it doesn't mean that it is definitely from this company, although I haven't been able to unearth any other possibilities if this is the case. The London import mark and the date (1972) would support this theory too, as would the similarity of hallmarks on other 'Danish Silver Design' pieces that I have seen. DSD were established in the late 60's in London on Fulham Road, they were bought out by Argenta Design in July 1979. DSD, as well as manufacturing and designing jewellery, imported jewellery from Scandinavia.

Even if it was proven that this piece was imported by 'DSD' I am still no nearer knowing who made it and the chances of finding out who did, are unfortunately probably very slim indeed.

It is always frustrasting when marks are rubbed and when you can't put a full ID to a piece, but I enjoy it nontheless.

Thanks for your assistance so far Trev.