Gordon & Co. or Another?

[dognose]

Hi,

Here we have a fine pair of balaster castors. They are 9.3 cm in height and weigh 158 grams and their interiors are fully gilded.












Photos courtesy of Carey Hill

They were probably made by Gordon & Co. of Madras, but I have never seen this exact mark before and wondered if any other member had come across any similar marks?

Trev.

[dognose]

Another possible candidate as the maker of these castors is the firm of Grostate & Co., who were working in Madras in the early 1820's.

As can be seen from the below image of the mark of Grostate & Co., the mark is similar but not exactly the same.



Trev.

[admin]

Hi Trev,
Wilkinson illustrates the top mark for Grostate, as well as two others that are similar, none of the illustrated marks have that very distinctive, almost horizontal, ampersand shown in the second example. At a guess, I think the second mark is likely to be an unrecorded Grostate, bears far more resemblance to the Grostate marks than to any of Gordon's.

Regards, Tom

[dognose]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for your thoughts. I think that this one will run and run.

Regards Trev.

[dognose]

Hi Tom,

Many apologies, I mis-read your post. I'll go with Grostate as the maker of these castors.

I've found very little information regarding this firm, but the 'Asiatic Journal' records the marriage of George William Izenbert, a partner in the firm of Grostate & Co., to a Miss L E Freedoms on the 14th August 1826. The 'Quarterly Oriental Magzine' records the death of George William Izenbert, less than eight months later, on the 3rd April 1827.

Regards Trev.