Help with makers marks on 17 piece Fruit set from Belfast

[flybynight]

Can anyone help me identify the maker of this wonderful 17 piece fruit set in a wooden box with a sewn in nametag of: Sharman D. Neill, 12 Donegall Place, Belfast. Is it plate or is it Sterling? Each piece has the same Rd. No. 372053 on them . Thanks a bunch.

[2209patrick]

Hello.

Sharman D. Neill may have been the retailer.
The HA, EA and FA marks are a silverplate mark used by the Atkin Brothers, Sheffield, England.
http://www.925-1000.com/silverplate_A.html

http://www.925-1000.com/registry.html

Pat.

[flybynight]

So is this set Sheffield Plate? Do you know about what year it dates back to?

[2209patrick]

The Atkin Brothers began using that set of electroplate marks in 1853.
Don't know how long they used them, possibly well into the 20th century.

Pat.

[larkfield]

The Rd No can be found under British Registry Dates (go to Home Page) which on the number you quote, the design was registered in 1901, so made after this date

[dognose]

Hi,

I believe Sharman D. Neil were manufacturers and retailers, they entered their mark at the Dublin Assay Office in 1890 and were still in business during the Edwardian period at least.

Trev.

[Aguest]

For what it's worth, I have a large set by Sharman D. Neill in the original fitted box with the original Sharman D. Neill label, and there is one single differently-hallmarked piece which is a cheese scoop and it bears the "HA EA FA" Atkins Brothers hallmarks, so I do wonder if they had a relationship of some sort based on these the two silver-plate sets which are now described in this thread ::