Silver tray - Gebruder Kuhn or Deyhle? And date?

[ollieblue]

Hello there - I have recently aquired this tray and cannot decipher the mark as it comes up as two different companies on diferent sites. Also, is there anyway to determine exactly when this piece was made? thank you

[Bahner]

Hello, the pic is to small to tell, but Gebrüder Kühn used a unicorn, Deyhle a lion. The pattern ("Sächsisches Hofmuster" or "Seckenrand") became popular again in the 1920ies and has been in production ever since. Both companies made it. Best wishes, Bahner

[ollieblue]

thank you very much for your reply. I think it is a unicorn.

[admin]

Hi,
When the marks are even slightly worn or badly struck, it is often difficult to tell the difference between the marks of Gebrüder Kühn, Gebrüder Deyhle and E. L. Vietor. To clarify:

Kühn - rampant unicorn
Deyhle - rampant lion
Vietor - rampant lion, tongue sticking out

Regards, Tom

ps. Ollieblue, thanks for submitting the mark image, I've added your incuse variation of the Kühn mark to http://www.925-1000.com/Fgerman_marks_a1884.html

[ollieblue]

thank you all for your help. Is it possble to get accurate dates on German silver as it is on English pieces?

[Bahner]

Hello, there sometimes are date letters on older German pieces, but never on younger pieces. Best wishes, Bahner

[ollieblue]

thank you Bahner. Are younger pieces considered from 1886?

[Bahner]

Hello, strictly speaking it could be January 1st, 1888. That was the date when the laws of 1884 and 1886 respectively became effective. But I believe that stamping with date letters was abandoned earlier. Most likely as early as the late 1860ies, when the German guilds were dissolved. Best wishes, Bahner

[dognose]

Gebrüder Kühn - Gmünd - 1903

Trev.