AD.SCHELLENBERG - German? 800M

[jackk]

Hi All, Again I run into another piece with 800M mark. Anyone familiar with mark - AD.SCHELLENBERG. But, well, the "M" after 800 is what puzzles me most. Again, this piece has a glass insert.

There was a piece by Schellenberg in Christies some time age. Christies estimates the piece to be german, 1870s.

[Bahner]

Hello, Schellenberg was a family of goldsmiths, jewellers and retailers in Wiesbaden, Germany. There were two Adolf Schellenbergs: I. Carl Ludwig Adolf Sch. (b. 1810, d. 1881), active 1826-1872. - II. Emil Adolf Ludwig Sch. (b. 1858, d. ?), active 1886 - ca. 1904. Both used the mark “Ad. Schellenberg”. The shop existed under this name well into the 20th century. I feel the “M” is probably not a Belgian mark for fineness, but could possibly be attributed to Berlin maker of silverware Memmert, active ca. 1890 - 1930. Best wishes, Bahner

[jackk]

Thank you Bahner, but if the original maker was Memmert, who was active ca. 1890 - 1930, wasn't he required to use a crescent moon and crown on this silver during this period? I apologize for pushing this subject, but that "M", which I keep finding on silver pieces is driving me nuts. :)

[Bahner]

Hello, yes, he should have. But if he did'n, nobody would say anything - there was and is no central assay office in Germany to check how the hallmarking laws were or are obeyed. On many German pieces halfmoon and crown are misssing. Best wishes, Bahner

[admin]

Here's another from a piece of flatware and with a retailer's mark added, feel sure the M is the maker's trademark. It may be Memmert, but also found another that used an '"M", Otto Kaiser of Schwabische Gmund (successor to August Meltzer). However, don't know whether Kaiser, or his predecessor Meltzer, produced silverware. Gmund was mostly a jewelry making center.

Regards, Tom

[Bahner]

Hello, F. Schade was a Jeweller and goldsmith from Berlin. His adress was Ross-Strasse 26-28. A hint that "M" is from Berlin, too ? Best wishes, Bahner

[silverport]

Hello

Here I’ve an excerpt from 1903, that the company of Otto Kaiser, successors of August Metzler (not: Meltzer), in this case shouldn’t be hold up in mind:

Kaiser, Otto, vorm. Aug. Metzler,
Schw. Gmünd, Künigsturmstr. 40 (1883.)
Inh.: Otto Kaiser. — Fabrikation von gold.
Ringen in jedem Feingehalt, kuranten
Genres, sowie in Doublé. — Deutsch und
Export. — Vertreter: Ulr. Finckh in Pforz-
Heim, Bahnhofstrasse 24. — Siehe Inserate
Seite 62a. 351

Translation:

Kaiser, Otto, before August Metzler,
Schw. Gmünd, Künigsturmstr. 40 ([founded] 1883.)
Owner: Otto Kaiser. — Fabrication of golden
Rings in each grade of fineness, in actually
Sorts, available also in Doublé. — Germany and
Export. — Sales representative: Ulrich Finckh in Pforz-
heim, Bahnhofstrasse 24. — Look Advertising
page 62a. 351

(The Advertising is missing in my edition. 351 is publishers registration number of entry - the brief entry was given by Otto Kaiser themselves.)

As Admin Tom has already mentioned, they are a part of the producers in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Württemberg, Germany, which remained in the local tradition of jewellery making.

But Schwäbisch Gmünd and surrounding areas were, next to jewellery making, be gifted also of excellent, and well known silver hollowware and flatware producers, like e.g. Gebr. Deyhle (founded 1820; mark: prancing Lion), Gebr. Kühn (founded 1860; mark: prancing Unicorn), Wilhelm Binder (founded 1868; mark: W[hammer]B), …

Kind regards silverport