Meriden Brittania Candle 416

[Traintime]

Matched pair candle sticks (5 1/2") item/pattern #416 with added engraved wreaths (slight differences say hand worked). [Black tarnish removed to show detail.] Can any era of production be approximated given these points: Firstly, mark is central rather than on rim of base; Second, M still present over this un-modernized version of phoenix; third, torse is four point version rather than three loop? {Was going to start a contributor's notes section to catalogue IS or Meriden & predecessors sterling hollowware, but might this be a bit unweildy?} The item numerals also lack the heavy serif style seen on a lower sequence pair in the 300's.

[AG2012]

Hi,
Very end 19th century, before WW II.
Cannot date more precisely, but this seems as accurate as possible.
Regards

[silverly]

If they are weighted and not indicated so, maybe that could help with dating a little.

[AG2012]

How can they be weighted ? As far as I can see the base is hollow, right ?

[Traintime]

Correct, the real deal. No pebbles in the bellies of these fish.

[dragonflywink]

By style, your classical Tuscan column candlesticks, with their simple engraved laurel wreaths, most likely date to the 1910s-20s. Meriden Britannia made some sterling flatware patterns in the 1880s, but their holloware is noted as starting with the mid 1890s acquisition of Wilcox & Evertsen. I've not found published reference to the 'M-over-phoenix' sterling mark prior to 1904, and the pieces it appears on are primarily typical of the first quarter of the 20th century, doubtful it was used any later than the early '30s. The phoenix mark without the 'M' appears on International Silver pieces from the 1940s-50s, and possibly into the '60s.

As a note, there is a good possibility that the body of the candlesticks are filled with pitch or cement for added strength and stability, it was common practice long before these were made, accepted without indicative marks, just as hollow-handled knives and serving pieces are also commonly known to be filled. There was a lawsuit regarding weighted/loaded/reinforced silver in the 1920s (if I recall correctly, it was technically legal if the filling was not another metal), the Sterling Silverware Manufacturers Association were involved, perhaps the impetus for the stamps, especially on those very flimsy sterling pieces so common in the mid 20th century...

~Cheryl

[Traintime]

Not to get hung-up on weight, but they sound hollow and I'm getting a rough 3.5 oz each (appx. 7 oz. per pair) [standard, not troy]. All just a reference in case someone picks up something similar that seems a bit too heavy.