Why are there so a lot of marker’s marks on the article?

[Elena Russ]

Hello, dear Sirs.

I have the wonderful teapot from Nederland. Why are there so a lot of marker’s marks on it?
Thank you.

[oel]

Hello Elena,

AB&Z for the Firm of Jzn Bonebakker, Willem, Christiaan & Willem Gerard & Carl Bonebakker, City of Amsterdam, mark used 1855/1870. Bonebakker en Zoon or Bonebakker and Son. PP under an anker for Pieter Pieterse , City of Amsterdam , mark used 1848/1870.
Lion Rampant (1814-1953), 934 fineness, with export key, mark to indicate 2/3 marking duty restitution upon export. The coffee pot has been made by Bonebakker and/or Pieterse. Some were on the coffee pot should by an Assay office mark most probably with the letter A for Amsterdam. The other mark (B * 1), most probably a foreign importers mark, not a Dutch mark.

Regards,

Oel

[Elena Russ]

Hello, dear oel.

Thank you for your answer. But in this case I am not interested in the names of silversmiths. In this case I would like to know why this article bears three marker’s marks together.
By the way, the third mark is R * 1 (don’t B * 1) - Riel, Hiendrik Willem van, 1854-1870.

Regards,

Elena Russ

[oel]

Dear Elena,

Yes, you are right R*1 for: Hendrik Willem van Riel assayers' mark for 1st standard of silver, not a makers' mark, date used 1854/1880, city Amsterdam, Schoonhoven/Arnhem.
Why so many maker’s marks on one coffee pot? All two silversmiths worked in Amsterdam and more or less during the same time period. It was not uncommon that various silversmiths made the same items, period style tea and coffee sets. Your coffee pot is part of a set. The two silversmiths have helped each other and /or were specialized in making certain parts of the coffee/tea set. Both silversmiths put their mark, later Pieterse and Bonebakker joined business. To show he was responsible as assayer for preliminary assay, Hendrik Willem van Riel put his mark on the coffee pot. The date letter could tell us perhaps more. It might be hidden somewhere on the coffee pot together with the Assay/Office mark.

Regards,

Oel