Any information on this maker's mark? It is on a mustard pot dating from 1740-1750.
http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z39 ... 011031.jpg
http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z39 ... 011027.jpg
Irish Maker's mark?
Re: Irish Maker's mark?
Hi Argentum,
Going by your dating the likely candidate would be John Hillery, who was recorded as working at 46,North Main Street, Cork in 1750.
I've never seen an image of that mark before, but Douglas Bennett does have two 'I·H' marks illustrated that he assigns to either John Hillery or John Humphreys, the other to James Heyland, but both Humphreys and Heyland were working later.
Hillery's work was exceptional, several pieces by him were exhibited at the Airgeadóir - Four Centuries of Cork Silver and Gold Exhibition at the Crawford Art Gallery in 2005. One of the pieces on show by him, a skewer, had his mark contained within a wavy punch, so he was known to have used other marks.
Following his death in 1780, Hillery's business was continued by his widow and son.
Trev.
Going by your dating the likely candidate would be John Hillery, who was recorded as working at 46,North Main Street, Cork in 1750.
I've never seen an image of that mark before, but Douglas Bennett does have two 'I·H' marks illustrated that he assigns to either John Hillery or John Humphreys, the other to James Heyland, but both Humphreys and Heyland were working later.
Hillery's work was exceptional, several pieces by him were exhibited at the Airgeadóir - Four Centuries of Cork Silver and Gold Exhibition at the Crawford Art Gallery in 2005. One of the pieces on show by him, a skewer, had his mark contained within a wavy punch, so he was known to have used other marks.
Following his death in 1780, Hillery's business was continued by his widow and son.
Trev.
Re: Irish Maker's mark?
Thanks for that comment. This has been suggested to me as a solution to mark's question. However, recently someone suggested that it might be an early American mark. I am not sure what to make of that comment.
Re: Irish Maker's mark?
In a review of an iten in a Bonham's sale in 2003, Daniel Bexfield says this "A George III Irish Provincial soup ladle probably by John Humphreys or John Hillery; Cork, circa 1780, (Makers mark only IH without pellet struck three times), broad Old English shaped stem chased along it's length with trailing flowers below a rococo cartouche engraved with crest of a martlet surmounting arm, couped, fesswise, the scalloped bowl chased with a large leaf and scroll motif below an acanthus leaf, the latter chased to the drop of bowl (small solder repair to split at edge of bowl), 38.5cm. 6.25oz."
Unfortunately, while the spoon is shown, there is no photo of the hallmark and Bonham's online results don't go back that far. What I find interesting is the mention of the maker's mark without pellet. Most auctioneers seem to cover themselves by saying IH is John Hillery or John Humphries (seems to be spelt Humphries or Humphreys depending on source). Now I have just purchased a set of six silver teaspoons attributed to John Humphries but the marks are quite badly rubbed. The maker's mark is struck twice with STERLING in between. However, there does seem to be a pellet between the I and H although distorted (refer middle spoon in image). So, I'm wondering whether one maker has IH (without pellet) and the other I.H (with pellet) but which mark belongs to which maker I have no idea and also what mark did John Hillery's son, also John Hillery, use?
Unfortunately, while the spoon is shown, there is no photo of the hallmark and Bonham's online results don't go back that far. What I find interesting is the mention of the maker's mark without pellet. Most auctioneers seem to cover themselves by saying IH is John Hillery or John Humphries (seems to be spelt Humphries or Humphreys depending on source). Now I have just purchased a set of six silver teaspoons attributed to John Humphries but the marks are quite badly rubbed. The maker's mark is struck twice with STERLING in between. However, there does seem to be a pellet between the I and H although distorted (refer middle spoon in image). So, I'm wondering whether one maker has IH (without pellet) and the other I.H (with pellet) but which mark belongs to which maker I have no idea and also what mark did John Hillery's son, also John Hillery, use?
Re: Irish Maker's mark?
Hi Scorpio,
There is still a mountain of research that needs to be carried out into the field of Irish provincial silversmiths, and it is by virtue of people like yourself who are willing to share the details of what they have found, that progress is made.
There are several provincial makers, in both Cork and Limerick, with, I believe, unrecorded marks that could be possibles for an 'I·H' attribution. However. what is known at the moment is that Bennett attributes similar 'I·H' markings to Hillery, Humphries and Heyland, all of Cork. Progress is being made all the time with such identifications as new information comes to light.
Could you please keep your images to a max. of 7", so that viewers with smaller monitors can see the entire image.
Regards, Trev.
There is still a mountain of research that needs to be carried out into the field of Irish provincial silversmiths, and it is by virtue of people like yourself who are willing to share the details of what they have found, that progress is made.
There are several provincial makers, in both Cork and Limerick, with, I believe, unrecorded marks that could be possibles for an 'I·H' attribution. However. what is known at the moment is that Bennett attributes similar 'I·H' markings to Hillery, Humphries and Heyland, all of Cork. Progress is being made all the time with such identifications as new information comes to light.
Could you please keep your images to a max. of 7", so that viewers with smaller monitors can see the entire image.
Regards, Trev.
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