Letter under the Leopard's head

[fripou]

Hello
I just bought a lovely, big and heavy 1825 London butter knife.

There is a M under the Leopard's head.
Can you please tell me what it stands for ?

The silversmith is WS ; I think it is William Sumner I
Can you please confirm?

Thank you very much

Fripou

[silvermakersmarks]

I see what you mean about an M and I have to say that I have never seen anything similar before. However I think that it is more likely to be a flaw in the punching (not on the punch itself), although I don't know enough about how the process was actually done to suggest how it might have occurred.

I think that WS is more likely to have been William Schofield, registered as a spoonmaker 10 Nov 1820. William Sumner I is believed to have died in 1807.

Phil

[AG2012]

Hi,
A flaw in the punching and imagination.
Besides, this cannot be the first example ever recorded (as far as I know).
Regards

[fripou]

Thank you so much for the quick answer and for correction the name of the silversmith !

[dognose]

Hi Fripou,

Is it possible to capture a real high definition close-up of the mark?

Trev.

[fripou]

Which one?
Leopard?
silversmith.?

[dognose]

Hi Fripou,

The Leopard's Head with the possible mystery 'M'.

Many thanks.

Trev.

[fripou]

Sorry for the very late reply

here are two pics of the head

what I mistook for an M is actually just a little line....


François

[dognose]

Hi François,

Many thanks for posting the extra images.

It does appear to be a result of a cracked punch, or some debris becoming attached to the punch at the time of striking.

Trev.

[fripou]

Yes, so it deos !

THank you so much, Trev