1865 teaspoon

[igor]

I ask for your help in determining the assay master. Thank you in advance!
Regards.

[Goldstein]

Hi Igor -

assay master is Smirnov, Vladimir 1865-71

Regards
Goldstein

[igor]

Hi Goldstein,
thank you very much !

Regards
Igor

[Qrt.S]

Yes, the assayer is Smirnov, but what is interesting is that in my eyes the year seems to be 1863, is it?

[Goldstein]

Hi -



No look:



and:



and:



Regards
Goldstein

[Qrt.S]

It is not impossible, but...?

[Goldstein]

Hi -

Probably the easiest way is to check from when until when Smirnov was in office. My records speak from 1865 to 1871. So it can not be 1863. But maybe there are more up-to-date documents ....

Regards
Goldstein

[Qrt.S]

Quite, so do mine too, but it wouldn't be the first time the records need to be updated. There still so much unclear matters regarding Russian silver marks, years, makers.... so...? I'm not going to change Smirnov´s starting year to 1883 but making a note that this possibility exists.

[Aguest]

The first downstroke of the number "5" seems to be evident, there is raised metal in the upper left field of the enhanced picture, this would be completely absent on the number "3" so it does appear to my eyes to be a number "5" ::: The downstroke of the number "5" would be the way to rule out the number "3" as that is the crucial area which differentiates the numbers from one another :::::

[Aguest]

Also there are pixel-related issues which I have noticed from time to time so there could be a misplaced pixel which is causing the phantom "3" :::

[igor]

Hi! Sorry for the pixels, I can not make a better photo. And the number "3" can not be a priori - this is Moscow. Thank you all very much for your attention to my humble subject.
Respectfully!

[Aguest]

The best way I can describe it is that the digital camera has software and sometimes the software has to "decide" where to place the pixels, I realize that sounds anthropomorphic, but in certain instances the digital pictures are not accurate due to this pixel placement, some items are just better seen in hand, there is no need to apologize as really it is not the fault of the human photographer :::