Difficult markings on spoon

[mariok]

Hi,

I have this very pretty and small Russian spoon, but am not having much luck with identifying the markings.

Could anyone possibly help?

Thanking you all in advance!

Mario

http://imageshack.us/g/20/dsc03033r.jpg/

[Zolotnik]

Hi mariok -



the marks on your spoon are telling the following - from left to right:

Maker: Aleksejev Ivan A., Assaymaster: Savinsky Viktor, on duty 1859-1894, your spoon was assayed 1878. Silver content: 84 Zolotniki = 875/1000. Town mark: St. Georg for Moscow. Whether the marks and spoon are genuine, I doubt it....

Regards
Zolotnik

[mariok]

Hi Zolotnik,

Many thanks for your prompt reply. I am certainly no expert on Russian silver and am always ready to learn. If this is a fake then it will go down as experience, but not a very expensive lesson, thankfully. But I am curious as to what makes you think that it is not genuine? Is it the markings? The quality of the piece? I have always been cautious when buying Russian Silver, but this little spoon (it is only 12 cm long and weighs 13gr) seemed to have some age to it with a lot of 'old' looking tarnish around the hallmarks and crevices.

What also struck me when I first found it, was that the marks had been punched on the thinnest and so most difficult surface, so as to make them less obtrusive, but maybe this is not where they should have been punched? It also seems to have a degree or wear to it.

I have a couple more pieces of 'Russian' silver, and will post pics of these to get your opinion.

Many thanks

Mario

[Zolotnik]

Hi mariok -

Buying or collecting Russian silver is nowadays not without risks. There is a whole fraudulent industry working on it....
What iritates me on your spoon: the marks are on the right place - in the correct order - but still not original (St. Georg´s horse, the 84, etc.) . The design of the spoon is a lttle strange - measured against the known patterns. Just my opinion.

Regards
Zolotnik

[mariok]

Hi Zolotnik,

Many thanks, and a lesson learnt. Sometimes, when you have very little knowledge, it is maybe worth taking a risk, if not much is at stake ... if you let it go it might just turn out to be genuine.

I think that I need to study this topic a lot more.

Again, many thanks

Mario

[Dad]

Hi, Mario.

I think, you shouldn't worry. These are original punches.

Best Reg..

[mariok]

Good Morning Dad,

Many thanks for your opinion, it is very much appreciated. Anyone who posts has the advantage (Usually) of having the object to hold, and I must admit the more that I hold and inspect this little spoon the more I am convinced that it has age. As you know I am a complete novice with Russian silver, but I have been surrounded by antiques for much of my life, and this just 'feels' right re its age. It's only a small spoon, it will never have a high value, but it is nice to know that it is 'probably' original.

Thanks again and kind Regards

Mario

[Qrt.S]

Put some stress on "probably genuine", the marks are a smudge, particularly the town mark last to the right.

[Zolotnik]

Hi mariok -
just try to sell the spoon to Dad.....

Regards
Zolotnik

[mariok]

Hi mariok -
just try to sell the spoon to Dad.....

Regards
Zolotnik

=:o)