Rat tail spoon, mission impossible with hallmarks?

[mk209]

I came across this really good conditioned rat tail spoon but I'm really struggling with the marks. It only has three marks, a makers mark, something that to me looks like a crowned harp (holding the spoon bowl upwards) and a bottom of an 'n' or something similar (bowl downwards). I think this one is mission impossible! The background of the marks show casting pitting the same as along the edge of the rat tail, maybe marks were punched in before the spoon was finished or fake marks? To me it looks much earlier than the engraved date.




Here's hoping somebody might recognise something about this!

Matt.

[dognose]

Hi Matt,

I see only two marks. Can you post an image of the third?

Trev.

[mk209]

Photo 4 - the vague blob in between the more legible marks.....It's very hard to photograph and best seen in low light

[mk209]

Ok here's a better shot, played around in Adobe Photoshop with contrast, exposure, gamma levels etc to try and show it better. It really looks like a crown above a harp or a small leopards head crowned above an object. There is definitely 2 objects in that punch mark. The whole feel of the spoon an the finishing of it is not like London made spoons, it does feel different to me.