Gorham Tea Caddy Spoon Unknown Secondary Mark

[PK2195]

Thank you in advance for any information on this mark. Your assistance is truly appreciated.
I have a Gorham Sterling Tea Caddy Spoon. The date marks look to be either 1900 or 1914, the problem is this secondary mark of IXX . I can find no other spoon like this one and no reference to this mark anywhere. Thank you again.
The first link is of the spoon, the second of the marks
https://photos.app.goo.gl/4AnLZKw4b6YN9P6c6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/yfh92L65BUoRLKy79

[dognose]

Hi,

Welcome to the Forum.

Please embed your images.

Trev.

[PK2195]

Hi, I'm so sorry but I'm don't know how to do that. I tried to find a way to upload but don't see anything for adding an attachment, so I read the FAQ's and thought that Google photo link would be okay. Please let me know how to proceed. Thanks so much.
Pam

[dognose]

The below should help you:

How to Add Images

https://postimages.org (choose 'Share', then copy the 'Hotlink for forums' code) is recommended. Do not use Photobucket or Dropbox.

Ensure your images are embedded. Do not post links. Remember to use the 'Preview' button before submitting your post.

For more information see:

http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic ... 82#p103282

Trev.

[PK2195]

Thank you! My apologies, I'm really struggling here. I also can't find how to edit my post. I've checked the FAQ's but see no editing option on the page.

[dragonflywink]

Hi - perhaps it's my failing vision, but where is the date mark? (All marks should be posted.)

The 'IXX' is a code indicating the item was either a special order or a sample...

~Cheryl

[PK2195]

Hi Cheryl,
Thank you so much for your reply. Those are all of the marks. I looked at another forum for dating Gorham based on the three marks and thats how I came up with the dates mentioned in my original post. I did notice date code marks mentioned on some sites, but thought that maybe not all pieces had them? If it is a sample piece, is it possible that they left the date code off?
Thank you again,
Pam

[dragonflywink]

Hi Pam. Gorham date marks weren't struck on all pieces, but in particular, they were very rarely struck on flatware pieces, so wouldn't really expect to see one on your piece. Bit curious where your 1904 or 1914 dating came from at all, the date marks for those years don't resemble each other, and there isn't even a date mark present - I'm so confused! They started using the two or three letter codes (sometimes in vertical or triangular orientation) for special orders or samples in 1898, so yours would date no earlier, but the system was used for quite a while...

https://www.925-1000.com/Gorham_Date_Code.html

~Cheryl

[PK2195]

Hi Cheryl, Very good to know on the date code and flatware as well as the sample info, thank you so much. I found the 1900 and 1914 marks on
http://www.silvercollection.it/gorham.html (scroll about halfway down the page) but they're also very similar to 1985. That said, I don't think they would have done a sample tea caddy spoon in 1985 so safe to say the earlier marks? It's a little tough to tell the difference, as the cartouche are worn but the more rounded hexagon, along with the width and upward angle of the bottom of the anchor, seems to fit those dates. I would love to know your opinion if you have time to look.
Pam

[dragonflywink]

What you're referring to on your link to Giorgio's site is just examples of Gorham's trademarks with the dating of the item they were found on (the site does have the date marks on a separate page), various pieces produced in the same year could have the trademark stamped with a different punch.

Gorham was a very prolific manufacturer, there were an untold number of punches cut and like most makers, the marks would have variants, so dating by a particular stamp of the trademark isn't feasible, though the general forms of the trademark were known to be used in fairly specific time periods (they weren't always consistent in their marks). The 'outlined' form of the marks came into use around 1898, the year they instituted many changes in their codes, but it was not the only trademark used in the 20th century, there were other forms, including one that originated in the 1870s.

The late Sam Hough, who organized and researched the Gorham archives, noted that they produced so many special orders and samples that the letter codes were repeated, with the same letter combinations used on different items - some of the production codes instituted in 1898 went out of use within a few years, and most, if not all, were out of use by the early '30s.

~Cheryl

[PK2195]

Thank you so much Cheryl. As with everything vintage and antique, there are so many factors involved in dating a piece. You've answered all of my questions and once again, I truly appreciate the assistance.
Pam