www.925-1000.com

Here's what I think is a small tea caddy spoon. It doesn't seem to have the right marks for English or American or Russian. Can anyone recognize the marks enough to tell at least what country it is from? Or any guesses about the date from the engraving style?

I think that one of the marks are the sword marke
http://www.925-1000.com/Fnetherlands_Date_Code.html

Hi,
Yes, Dutch silver the sword standard mark for; small work silver 833 fineness= 83.3% pure silver. Used on small work without date letter, standard and office mark during 1906-1953
The maker’s mark, a little tricky but I believe could be for Anthonie & Jacobus Johannes Driesen registered in the city of Schoonhoven during 1870/1910


Oel

Wow, you guys are good! I think the sword may actually be the first version on the page (mark D, 1814-1905) based on looking with a jeweler's loupe. I will try to get a better picture of the marks, and post when I do, but you've definitely nailed it. Thank you!

Is there agreement that this is a tea caddy spoon? Were tea caddy spoons always included with the caddy? Or were they made and sold separately?

Hi,
The sword mark to me looks like the 1906-1953 version, the difference is in the grip which appears to be spiral wounded and a little slimmer as the 1814-1905 version.
Yes, the length is a little 9 cm, very nice size to be a tea caddy. I believe the caddies were separately made but also in combination with other tea accessories.

Oel

Here's a closeup (using a jeweler's loupe). Note the shape of the sword - it looks a lot like the one in the other current thread with spoons. Maybe the sample sword stamp shown in the drawing in the book isn't that accurate?





(admin edit - extra image sword marks

Hello Jag,

Your caddy spoon shows age and some patina. Your sword comes together with a good recognizable Dutch maker’s mark. Your sword has the right appearance and does look like the old sword used 1814-1906. The guard of your sword still has the shape of a ‘rectangular’ with rounded corners with a dark stripe in middle of the rectangular. In the other thread;
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=27451"
All above mentioned points are missing and looking at a single image without good communications makes it very difficult and yes bad/worn out and damaged punches may have been used during the years. If we compare, the hand made drawing with the original drawing out of the book; the answer is no. The drawings in the book are accurate.
The two early swords always have been a point of discussion. The first sword has a smooth grip and a wide contour, the 2nd sword used has a ribbed grip and a little wider (streched) contour. The sword on small silver guarantees a minimum of 833 and has been used on silver of the 1st and 2nd standard. These sword marks were used on items that were too small to take a full hallmarking. They were also used to mark the excess pieces on fully hallmarked objects which comprised of multiple parts. We see the sword with and without a maker’s mark. I believe if the silver item, construction wise, could be stamped with maker’s mark it should!
Last but not least in today’s world, a simple stand alone hallmark is easily faked and the Dutch sword becomes the Sword of Damocles.


Oel