I have just inherited a four piece silver coffee set which I have so far established was manufactured by Van Kempen in 1920. However, only one of the pieces bears the VK maker's mark plus date stamp. Another piece bears the VK mark only. The remaining two pieces which I am calling 'bowl' and 'pot' each bear separate maker's marks even though they are obviously part of the same set. Could anyone please explain to me why each piece is marked as it is (i.e. why only one of them is dated; why there are 3 maker's marks?) and also identify the 2 maker's marks in the photographs for the 'bowl' and 'pot'.
bowl: hexagon with K.B inside it.
jug: oval with V S inside it.
Van Kempen 4 Piece coffee set 1920
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2209patrick
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Re: Van Kempen 4 Piece coffee set 1920
Hi Linden,
The ‘unknown’ maker’s are all connected with each other i.e: Oval with V.S for Dirks & Izaak Vos & Albert Schoorl or Jacques Vos & Co N.V, registered in the Dutch cities of Haarlem and ‘s Hertogenbosch . Year used 1915-1920. Lozenge with K.B for Kempen & Begeer & Vos, Koninklijke Nederlandse Edelmetaalbedrijven, registered in the Dutch cities of ‘s Hertogenbosch, Utrecht and Voorschoten .Year used 1920-1931. Begeer formed a joined venture with van Kempen and Kempen & Begeer formed a joined venture with Vos. They made same models of coffee sets etc.
Regards,
Oel
The ‘unknown’ maker’s are all connected with each other i.e: Oval with V.S for Dirks & Izaak Vos & Albert Schoorl or Jacques Vos & Co N.V, registered in the Dutch cities of Haarlem and ‘s Hertogenbosch . Year used 1915-1920. Lozenge with K.B for Kempen & Begeer & Vos, Koninklijke Nederlandse Edelmetaalbedrijven, registered in the Dutch cities of ‘s Hertogenbosch, Utrecht and Voorschoten .Year used 1920-1931. Begeer formed a joined venture with van Kempen and Kempen & Begeer formed a joined venture with Vos. They made same models of coffee sets etc.
Regards,
Oel
Re: Van Kempen 4 Piece coffee set 1920
Thank you for that reply, it was very informative. My remaining query then is why only one of the pieces bears the date of manufacture/ My guess is that because they are kept together as a set then date stamping each piece is redundant?
Re: Van Kempen 4 Piece coffee set 1920
Hi,
No, I believe if you look very careful and if you find an assayer mark the Minerva head, silver standard (lion), and maker’s mark. You also should find, somewhere, a tiny little date letter. Those Dutch date letters could be very well hidden and hard to find. You could find a Dutch date letter in a place, on a piece of silver, were you never aspect you should find it. Have a good look! Only after 1953, and in consideration of the problems occurring with marks spreading over an entire article of precious metal, it was ruled that the marks be struck in closer proximity, similar to the layout of English marks.
Regards,
Oel
No, I believe if you look very careful and if you find an assayer mark the Minerva head, silver standard (lion), and maker’s mark. You also should find, somewhere, a tiny little date letter. Those Dutch date letters could be very well hidden and hard to find. You could find a Dutch date letter in a place, on a piece of silver, were you never aspect you should find it. Have a good look! Only after 1953, and in consideration of the problems occurring with marks spreading over an entire article of precious metal, it was ruled that the marks be struck in closer proximity, similar to the layout of English marks.
Regards,
Oel
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