I have gathered that this punch ladle was crafted by Riach in Edinburgh but I cannot find anything similar to the second and fourth of the five marks. They look like a tower with an I struck in the middle of them.
http://i.imagehost.org/view/0509/P6240068
http://a.imagehost.org/view/0098/P6240073
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John & Patrick Riach punch ladle
Hi Aggie,
Welcome to the Forum.
This set of marks is somewhat of a mystery. Yes, It is the mark of John & Patrick Riach, not Edinburgh, but Forres.
The mystery is the extra three 'I''s and it appears that the maker's mark has been overstruck.
The partnership of John & Patrick Riach was formed c.1817. They were a general ironmongery business with Patrick (real name Peter) working on the silversmithing side. Patrick had been a former apprentice of Charles Fowler of Elgin.
As John was not a silversmith, I'm a little stumped as to the reason for the extra 'I' marks. If they were 'P's, I could understand it, as John died in 1836 and Patrick continued on his own until 1859 (he died in 1864).
I can only speculate that perhaps this was a piece acquired by the Riachs from another silversmith and in the overstamping of the marks the earlier mark still showed through and they used either the edge of the of their maker's mark punch or a broken punch to cover the remains of the original mark.
Trev.
.
Welcome to the Forum.
This set of marks is somewhat of a mystery. Yes, It is the mark of John & Patrick Riach, not Edinburgh, but Forres.
The mystery is the extra three 'I''s and it appears that the maker's mark has been overstruck.
The partnership of John & Patrick Riach was formed c.1817. They were a general ironmongery business with Patrick (real name Peter) working on the silversmithing side. Patrick had been a former apprentice of Charles Fowler of Elgin.
As John was not a silversmith, I'm a little stumped as to the reason for the extra 'I' marks. If they were 'P's, I could understand it, as John died in 1836 and Patrick continued on his own until 1859 (he died in 1864).
I can only speculate that perhaps this was a piece acquired by the Riachs from another silversmith and in the overstamping of the marks the earlier mark still showed through and they used either the edge of the of their maker's mark punch or a broken punch to cover the remains of the original mark.
Trev.
.
Re: John & Patrick Riach punch ladle
A clearer image of John & Patrick Riach's mark.
Photo courtesy of Andy Taylor
Trev.
.
Photo courtesy of Andy Taylor
Trev.
.
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