Unknown Hallmark

[Neil in West Jersey]

This is my first post in the forum. The spoon pictured is a spoon I dug on Cape Cod last week. It appears to be coin silver, although it is not marked.

I have been unable to identify the maker/date range by the hallmark, however it looks American. Can anyone help with the identification of the spoon?

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[silverport]

Hello

Welcome to the Forum.

Please look here:

http://www.925-1000.com/americansilver_T.html
http://www.925-1000.com/ax_TifftWhiting.html

Because I'm not specialised in American silver, so I could guess only, that maybe these information’s could help.

I don't know when Tifft & Whiting started also with their plated products? So you must in this case also hold in mind that normally the word COIN was struck - maybe your spoon, which don't bear this word struck, the spoon is maybe plated?

In the beginning of plated production some producers struck only a few symbols - later, for reason of diversification with their competitors, they marked for this, for that ... patented...

On your spoon, it seems to me, they use a kind of American Eagle, than following mark is their maker's mark, and as a kind of "Sovereigns head" George Washington.

Please hold in mind, the company in the combination of »Tifft & Whiting« have start ca. 1840 until 1853 - same timeframe when, at least in Continental Europe, the Electro plating processing on Nickel-silver has start too.

Kind regards silverport

[silverly]

Hello Neil and welcome to the forum.

The marks on your spoon do not so far as I know relate to a specific manufacturer. The eagle is clearly identified with Philadelphia but could just as easily have been used in other areas of the country. The arm and hammer to me indicate handwrought as a rule but probably not in this case, and the bust is a sovereign head facsimile. These marks taken together merely suggest quality and are not uncommon on American coin silver.

I would expect that this spoon was manufactured sometime around the mid nineteenth century. The initials on the front of the handle might be of even more interest if a family connection can be made.

Good luck with your researh,

Pat

[SilverSurfer]

Congratulations on your find! The spoon is likely from an as yet unidentified American bulk flatware manufacturer in the second quarter of the nineteenth century. The pseudo-hallmarks are indicative of coin silver (nominally .900 fine, but there was much variance). Much of this so-marked flatware is said to have been made in the New York area, but despite the widespread interest in these marks, there still seems to be no definitive evidence linking known manufacturer names to particular marks. Unless this changes, you are unfortunately not likely to determine much more about its origin in light of the lack of provenance. However, you can be reasonably assured that it is an old piece of American coin silver, apparently in quite good condition. Enjoy!

SS