help with identification of marks on a spoon

[woody81]

Hi, i have been doin some research online trying to gather some information on a spoon my mother has, but have drew a blank, any help would be greatly appricated.

Many thanks
Gareth

[silverly]

Your spoon looks like it is American coin silver to me. I find your mark idenitified as that of John Wallace of Pittsburgh which it may very well be. However, I can not given you any reference for that attribution.

There are experts that are convinced that the eagle mark is generally an indication of a Philadelphia maker. However, that doesn't mean that a Pittsburgh maker could not have also used that mark.

There was according to Wallace family genealogy a John Wallace who came from Virginia to Pittsburgh in 1815 and engaged in the jewelry trade. I don't find any sign of him there in the 1850 census, so I think it is fair to assume he had passed away by then because his descendants stayed on there.

[silverly]

Also, I find John Wallace & Co in the 1841 Harris' General Business Directory of the Cities of Pittsburgh and Alleghany under the heading Watch & Clockmakers & Jewelers at the corner of Second and Market.

[woody81]

Thank you for your replies, your knowledge and expertise are appreciated. We had a suspision that the spoons (we have 5 of them) were american, but kept hittin a blank.

thank you once again
gareth