Baby Cup with Rabbit - late 30s early 40s? Mongram ENS with Arrow

[londoninnewyork]

I am dating it because I believe it belonged to my stepfather although it could be from one of his sons (born in the 60s) but I doubt it for various reasons. Can anyone please help with the maker and /or year thank you in advance.

[Traintime]

For ref.: If mark is correctly oriented, then MZS or MSZ (with arrow) are possibles.

[Aguest]

I can't find any match in the list of "American Marks" sub-reference "Modernist Marks" list, although I found similar styles of hallmarks from Modernist Makers living in America from 1930-1950s.

This is of higher quality than other baby cups, note the way the handle is joined to the cup, really perfection there, and the applied element of the rabbit is very well executed, just a great piece....

This could be considered an "Arts And Crafts" piece, but I get more of a "Modernist" feeling about the piece.

[dragonflywink]

Though it looks vaguely familiar, haven't found this mark in any of my available references, and can't really see anything about the mark or style of the cup that would indicate the dating more to one of the time periods you suggest, could be either era. It's a simple straight-sided cup with a rolled rim, a classic scroll handle, and a cute stuffed bunny - similar cups are still available new...

~Cheryl

[Aguest]

True, it could be anywhere from 1930 to 1980. The overall "style" of the hallmark seems to fit more with the Modernist silver makers list, but that is just an aesthetic comparison with the Modernist Silver Hallmarks and it is open to different interpretations.

Are the letters in the hallmark possibly "E" and "Z" within the larger diamond shape which could be a large "S" (or perhaps not)?

There was an Ernest Ziegfeld who was a professor of art and silversmithing in California, but he just signed with a "Z" and I have not seen any other hallmark that is anything like the hallmark on this baby cup with applied bunny. I am just trying to figure out the two small letters, and now that I stare at them for awhile, they might be an "E" and a "Z" but it is difficult for me to really figure out the letters.

[Aguest]

In searching for the possibility of an "M" and "Z" at least I came across the work of Marie Zimmermann, whose work is absolutely amazing, and I am so glad I came across examples of her work, really she was an incredible artist who should be a household name, her artistry is really amazing.

Still cannot identify the hallmark in question, apologies for the tangent, but it was well worth it to have made a new discovery.

[Aguest]

Another post shows a pic of a sterling silver pill box, and it bears the same hallmark as the above example, with the Marie Zimmerman possibility suggested by the poster, however remote the possibility may be....