Help identifying maker mark

[krishner]

Please see link to photos of a lovely silver cigarette case circa 1918. Could anyone help me determine the makers mark? Its been poorly set and so has distorted.





Also is there any way of finding out the initials 'FO' on the cover - shot in the dark I know but I was just curious.

Not an expert.

krishner

[silvermakersmarks]

The original one is Walker & Hall



The one which is overstamping it, beginning "E·" defeats me, but could possibly be E S Barnsley & Co:



Phil

[WarrenKundis]

Excellent work Phil,

That does appear to be the very faintest impression of the bottom of the S in the middle position.

Warren

[krishner]

Well that's amazing. Thank you so much. Where exactly does that leave me though? Is it usual practice to 'over stamp' with another maker? So which one is the maker??

Thanks again for some impressive detective work.

[silvermakersmarks]

The maker is the one whose mark got there first - Walker & Hall. The other mark, which might or might not be E S Barnsley & Co, is quite clearly on top of the W&H mark. Although it was not commonplace, overstamping is occasionally seen. Companies buying in stock from other manufacturers would want their own mark rather than a competitor's on what they were selling. In this case the job doesn't seem to have been done very well...

Phil

[krishner]

Thanks! There's a lot to learn I see...fascinating.