www.925-1000.com

Please help me with a Gorham silver oil lamp. It is 8.75” high and 4” dia at the base. It is not marked “Sterling” so I think it is silver plate. The burner is single-wick with a turn-wheel. I have had it for over 25 years, and I got it used.

In the center of the lamp body’s bottom are the following marks — on three separate lines:

“Gorham” in script
“E”, an anchor within a cartouche — a rectangle with a point at the bottom, and “P”
“YC 490”

From the Gorham trademark page, it looks like this lamp was made in the 1950's, but what is the "E" and "P", and what is the "YC 490"? Also, does the lack of "Sterling" definitely designate silver plate?

I am unable to supply pictures with this post, as I do not have a hosted server (just a private PC). Thank you

stevebon

Gorham used their lion, anchor and G mark on sterling and coin silver products. The anchor by itself is their silverplate mark. EP stands for ElectroPlated, which means silver plated.
The YC 490 mark is just a catalog or pattern number.
I think they started using the script Gorham mark during the 2nd half of the 20th century.

Pat.

see -> American Marks 5

Thanks for the answer. I appreciate your promptness.