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Or comment! Spoon with the mark of James Bryan Hill of Fayetteville, TN:

Hi,

Based upon the shape of the spoon I'd consider John Beckford Hill, born 1824, died 1904, a jeweler and watchmaker of Beverly, MA as a possible for the mark.

James Bryan Hill did go by J B Hill and his life span is similar to the gentleman you mention. Thanks for input.

I have seen this mark several times on pieces with a Massachusetts (or at least New England) provenance. I am also inclined to John Beckford Hill of Beverly. He was the largest jeweler/watchmaker in the area and was in business for 60 years. I added him and his son to my project a while ago, but have not had time to do a new build. This is the mark from Winterthur



Do you have any history to go with your spoon?

wev wrote:Do you have any history to go with your spoon?

Only that it came to me via San Diego, California. If the mark has been attributed to John Beckford Hill of Beverly, MA, I'll have to go along with that. Thank you.

wev wrote:This is the mark from Winterthur

Here's another image of the mark that may be a little better than my first if it's any use:

Can I ask where you found the maker James Bryan Hill of TN? What reference book or website? I can't seem to locate him. Tks

All I have seen is this entry (which I have truncated) in Goodspeed Publishing's History of Tennessee, 1886:

HILL, James Bryan ; jeweler of Fayetteville, Tenn ., was born 6 June 1832 in Fayetteville. Lincoln County, Tenn.: son of Ebenezer and Mary Tate (Bryan) Hill. . . He was educated in the schools of Fayetteville. He began learning the jeweler's trade at the age of twenty-two, and finally wedded Maggie Collins Bearden 26 November 1868 in Fayetteville. Tenn. Mrs. Hill has borne him five children: Charles B., Mary, Eben, Maggie B. and Emily H. Hill. Maggie is but six years of age, but is a fine performer on the violin, playing by ear almost any tune she ever heard with almost perfect time and expression. Mr. Hill served in the late war in Company C, Forty-first Regiment, Tennessee Infantry, and was afterward appointed quartermaster-sargeant. Mr. Hill and wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and he is the leading jeweler of Fayetteville and a much respected citizen.

He is not mentioned in Caldwell's Tennessee Silversmiths

He is listed as an artist in the 1860 census, watch maker in 1870, and farmer in 1880.