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Help identifying this English? fish knife and Welsh cigarette case

Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 4:56 pm
by zeik
Hi,

I've checked the guides and can't determine most of these marks at all. On the fish knife, I can't say if it's British or what origin. For the Hallmarks, the first could be absolutely anything, the 2nd is a cross, 3rd looks like a "6", 4th looks like a halberd and the last appears to have been a "B".
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Neither of these pieces have obvious sterling or fineness markings so we figure it'd be best to start in the plate section. Both of these feel like significant percentage of silver by texture and weight, and by the wear and construction.

Any help with these would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Re: Help identifying this English? fish knife and Welsh cigarette case

Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2015 7:51 am
by dognose
Hi Zeik,

Welcome to the Forum.

I've come across the mark several times before and have thought it likely that this is one of the many imitators of Joseph Rodgers & Sons of Sheffield. Rodgers used the halberd mark, and the Maltese cross mark, but the Maltese cross was always used with the six-pointed star mark, these marks were granted to them by the Cutlers Company in 1682, and never, to my knowledge, on its own.

The item will be plated.

Trev.

Re: Help identifying this English? fish knife and Welsh cigarette case

Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2015 1:52 pm
by zeik
Hi Trev,

Thank you very much - we could not imagine manually checking every documented hallmark to try and match these up. Any other thoughts on age or origin?

Re: Help identifying this English? fish knife and Welsh cigarette case

Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2015 2:02 pm
by dognose
Likely a Sheffield or Birmingham manufacturer, mid 19th century.

Trev.

Re: Help identifying this English? fish knife and Welsh cigarette case

Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2015 4:46 pm
by zeik
Hi Trev,

Thank you very much, most appreciated! And thanks for your work on the site and forum, this is a fantastic resource.