www.925-1000.com

Hello,
I have an 8 inch hollow handle carving fork with steel/iron tines. The handle has only one mark on it -- "I.R" with the dot centered (not near the bottom). This mark appears to be of John Roberts, but everything I have seen of him adds the "& Co" mark after the "I.R". Also, there are no hallmarks or any other marks at all on the piece.

I know that John Roberts was Sheffield, but I see no hallmarks, so I tried the coin silver section first. I apologize if this is not the right place, but as I said, I'm just not sure what this is.

Any help in identifying this would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Seeing reflective points, but not sure those are dot or pellet...so, here's three possible at bottom left of page: https://www.sterlingflatwarefashions.co ... nitI2.html

Joseph Richardson (Philadelphia) would be the "Senior" (junior used other marks).

Thank you for the help. There is a dot between the letters, so it would be James Roe or John Ross, leaning toward John Ross. According to the link you gave me, he shows working 1790-98. Would that make this sterling or coin?
Thanks.

Coin silver from the Early American period just after the Colonial American period, so this would be approximately 90% silver, but actual percentages can vary :: And this is one of the earliest "Shell Motif" design elements I have seen on an American piece of silver, but just for the record here is what another expert has commented regarding the shell motif on early american silver:

"By the time of [the 1820's], shell, thead, and shell/thread patterns were all well-established and had been for close to two decades."

Thank you so much!

Hi,

I would not rule out the possibility that this is the work and mark of John Rowbotham of Sheffield, but offering it only as a route for further research.

Trev.

I was thinking that as well, make sure there are no other hallmarks (completely rubbed off) on the silver, and I was also thinking about how uncommon this form is from an American silversmith, I have still been thinking about this object :::::