Unsure of maker and date of spoon

[Granmaa]

Can anyone tell me the date of this spoon? I'm pretty sure that it's Chester but I don't know whether the T or the F is the date letter. Also, does anyone know who B.M is?



Thanks,
Granmaa

Any further advice for the computer illiterate on how to post images?

[georgiansilver]

The first pic would appear to be Sheffield 1904 and I have no idea who the maker is. The second is unfortunately indecypherable. I cannot read the marks due to the shine. Sorry not to be more helpful, Best wishes, Mike.

[Granmaa]

Thankyou very much for your help Mike. I'm sure I'll have to call on your knowledge in the future.

Miles

[Waylander]

Granmaa, a quick question. Does your Chester piece have two "date letters"? I.e. a "T" and a "F"? The reason I ask - F is the usual hallmark for an imported piece (did it stand for foreign - I don't know). This would suggest your piece is imported. In addition, betweem 1904 and the closure of the Chester Assay Office ni 1904 the F mark was not used, so your piece should date earlier than this.

Hope this may be of some help.

Waylander

[Granmaa]

Waylander,

It does have two letters, so I suppose the F must stand for foreign. If you look at the spoon's knop on the first picture, it doesn't seem to be very English nor does the handle; what do you think? I think the BM maker's mark might be the key.
I'll have got my camera back on Friday so I'll post some better pictures of the hallmarks and of the spoon as a whole.

Miles

[admin]

BM is Berthold Muller, imported goods from Germany and Holland.

[Granmaa]

A conclusion to this awful spoon which seems to have been truncated thus forming the unusable and unlovable monstrosity that I have in my collection today:
Maker- Berthold Muller
Assay town- Chester
Date- 1900

Granmaa

[admin]

importer - Berthold Muller
maker - ?