Snuff box with differing date letter stamps.

[lindmcc]

This snuff box was made in Birmingham in 1876 by George Unite and Sons. Although the date letter on the lid and base are the same, the shape of the stamp around them differs. The stamp on the lid is incorrectly the same as the shape around the anchor and lion. The stamp on the base is the correct oval shape shown in every reference book I have. I believe the snuff box to be totally genuine.
Does anyone have any comment to make about this oddity please?

Linda

[Gerryl]

Do you have a copy of Bradbury's Book of Hallmarks? In the Birmingham section it states that between 1872 and 1894 the date letter could appear either in a circle or a rectangle with clipped edges. It does seem a little odd that the two different date options were used on the same piece. It certainly give you a a conversation point though.

Gerryl

[lindmcc]

Thank you Gerryl. I do have a 1978 edition of Bradbury's Book of Hallmarks. Perhaps I should go out and buy the latest edition. I also have Judith Banister's book, the full and pocket Jackson's, and 'The Silversmiths of Birmingham'. None of these show this information. I wonder if the snuff box was produced by making the lids and bases separately and therefore stamped separately by different people. I would have thought that within the one business they would make their stamps the same.

Linda