Postby silverport » Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:40 pm
»12 LötI« = 750-1,000 silver fineness
Hello
In this case they were more informative (or "overdone"?), to use the German word »Lötig« for explanation of the then usual system; and that the item [spoon] is made from silver alloy.
Because in Germany, already from about 1842 on, was the from Werner Siemens invented Electro Plating Processing, licenced to the in Berlin settled Nickel-Silver production company »Gebrüder Henniger«.
So it became usual, to indicate by use of Arabic ciphers the gram of used silver in the Electro Plating Processing.
To prevent the commercial influx, of use of this confusing Arabic ciphers indication, some guilds (maybe first of all these, which were settled in areas of this influx?) and silver workshops started to use further more the before usual »L« as additional indication, or as in this case an abbreviation of »Lötigkeit«.
My conclusion of this former observations is: A "longer" indication as the single letter »L«, e.g. as in this case »12 LötI«, could be used also as a reliable time indicator (?) = the item in question could be made at least after 1840/1845. Well, that is only my conclusion - be attend: until yet not confirmed by others!
Kind regards silverport