Any help greatly appreciated- two keys crossed, crown, head

[cjaye]

I respect the guidlines of this important/informative website. However.. as a novice of this subject I am a little shy of where to start. Please be patient.
I am posting on Silverplate/worldwide..because I do not see STERLING/925. However I realize that could be due to the piece is older than time period of the required 925.

Anyway...can someone help me with the Hallmark(s) on this piece. I have two of these plates, one large, one smaller...both same markings.

Markings:
TWO KEYS CROSSED in Shield, CROWN, head/or bird in shield.

ANY HELP WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
Thank you,
C Jaye

http://images6.theimagehosting.com/100_2655.JPG

[2209patrick]

I can't get your pictures to come up.
The mark you describe sounds like one of a few used by the Lawrence B. Smith Company of Boston Massachusetts. Founded in 1887 and out of business by 1958.

[2209patrick]

Good job on the picture!
Yes, that's the mark I was thinking of. The Lawrence B. Smith Company, Boston, Massachusetts. They had a couple of other marks also.
They did produce both sterling and silver plated items. Without being marked sterling or 925 your piece is silver plated.

[cjaye]

Thank you so much for your wisdom. One more question. Is there any way of dating this piece based on the stamps provided?
You have made my searching / researching a pleasant experience. Thanks again for all your help.

I have a reed&Barton piece I am also trying to find a date/periord for. I will post that later.

Kudo's to this great WEBSITE and its enthusiast members.

Cjaye

[2209patrick]

You are welcome, glad to help.
My references don't say when each of the 3 marks attributed to Lawrence B. Smith were used. Of the three, your mark is the least seen. This along with the overall appearance of the different marks makes me think (this is only my opinion) that your mark is the oldest one. I know the other two were used as early as 1922. So my guess would be that your piece dates to between 1887 and 1922. If you described it as c.1900 I think that would be ok.
Keep forgetting to say that it's supposed to be a bird in the third mark.
Pat.