Help with sugar spoon marks

[Videoman]

Hi ... am hoping someone will be able to identify these marks on what I suspect to be a silver plate sugar spoon. Who is the maker H.F and what is the 3 enclosed in a circle ... and the others too.



Many thanks in advance.

Videoman

[oel]

Hi,

To my knowledge; unidentified silverplate marks.


Oel.

[dognose]

Hi,

Who is the maker H.F

I suppose the first question should be 'What is a maker?' There were makers of flatware blanks who got others to plate their products, makers of flatware blanks that supplied silver platers, makers of flatware blanks who supplied the wholesale trade, who in turn got others to plate, silver platers who outsourced the manufacture of blanks, those that made the complete products, and several other combinations.

In an unregulated industry the identification of plated products can be akin to chasing rainbows. Firms could change their marks at will, depending on who the customer was or wanted, some customers wanted their own marks applied, some were happy to have the original blank maker's mark applied. Firms changed ownership often, partners in, partners out. Their was little information regarding such marking recorded, sometimes we are lucky to find advertisements, catalogues, billheads etc. that illustrate the use of certain marks at certain times, but much of what we know is speculation and is worked out on the balance of probabilities, educated guesses, etc. Unfortunately some of this information, recorded over time, is incorrect, but when it is published in black and white, some people take it as gospel. The internet, of course, has compounded this problem.

So, to speculate the origin of this mark. The examples below show links to each other and are likely from one source. The only one's that can be identified with any degree of certainty are the fifth and sixth marks, that of Thomas Wilkinson & Co., who's business was based at the 'Pelican Works' at Birmingham. However, there is a second possibility, although a lot slimmer, that of Henry Fielding & Son, also of Birmingham, who registered a trade mark that included 'HF', a cross and a wheatsheaf. Both businesses were large concerns and prolific, but to me, the balance of probabilities is with Wilkinson.




















Trev.

[Videoman]

Thanks Trev ... besides the makers mark then, any idea what the other marks are ... especially the number 3 enclosed in a circle.

[dognose]

The '3' is probably the only mark with any meaning, it may be a quality indictor, ie, the thickness of the silver plating.

Trev.

[Videoman]

Thanks. Another quick question ... how does one determine the date of silver plate items eg. this one

[dognose]

Dating plated marks is a minefield, all I can say is that your one is likely to be the second half of the 19th century.

Trev.

[Videoman]

Ok thanks Trev.

[ttishbite]

Hi Trev,

Do you know the markings on the first two pictures of stampings that you posted? I have a teapot with a Greyhound finial that matches those stampings.
Any help would be great!

[dognose]

Hi,

Welcome to the Forum.

Please start a new topic with images of the item and marks.

Trev.

[ttishbite]

Hi Trev,
I created another thread and referenced this one. Thanks.