Early New Zealand Sterling Silver Hallmarks???

[HobbySilver]

Hi There,

I have this lovely Sterling Silver & shell handle Fork which has me stuck who the maker is,
it looks to be made in New Zealand and looks late 19th to early 20th century the shield stamp has CJ? in it
Any help is always appreciated

Many thanks,

Glen

[Granmaa]

Hi,

I've had a look through Gold & Silversmithing in 19th & 20th Century New Zealand by Winsome Shepherd, and I can't find that mark, but your piece may be too modern for the book.

Miles

[dognose]

Hi,

Welcome to the Forum.

If it should be 'JC', rather than 'CJ', then one name springs to mind, John Chisholm of Wellington, but offered only as a possibility.

See: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=27039

Trev.

[HobbySilver]

Thanks for the help guys as always appreciate the feedback, if anyone else thinks they know the maker please post it as I am always close by and will check :)

[bstaunto]

Hey guys,

Just to add two more examples of this mystery maker. One has a greenstone handle, the other some sort of agate/tourmaline. Both with the same set of marks. They are well made pieces.




Hope to give a solid attribution one day!

Ben

[silvermakersmarks]

There is a very similar (near identical in fact) Birmingham mark for G H Johnston & Co who were in business from 1876 to 1941. They also registered a (different) mark in London; this is noted by Culme who spells the name as Johnstone. I don't know whether they had a New Zealand connection. Even that might not be necessary - I have seen Adie & Lovekin's mark on an otherwise unmarked spoon with a New Zealand pounamu (greenstone) handle.

Phil

[dognose]

Whilst it's by no means conclusive, G.H. Johnstone & Co.Ltd. appear to have been makers of small dress jewellery etc.


G.H. Johnstone & Co.Ltd. - Birmingham - 1917

In 1917 they were listed under such headings as Scarf Pin Manufacturers, Scarf Slide Manufacturers, etc.

Trev.

[Elly]

The intertwined J C mark stands for Jim Cotterill, a Wellington, New Zealand jeweler who died in 1953. The paua shell fork was produced by Arthur Morrison, an early pioneer of paua shell souvenirs who produced paua shell jewellery for Jim Cotterill's shop from c. 1943. Paua shell manufacturing was a licensed activity from 1946 until 1960 to protect the interests of disabled ex-servicemen in New Zealand who were involved in paua shell jewellery making. Arthur Morrison did not hold a licence whereas Jim Cotterill did so Morrison sold his paua shell goods through Cotterill's jewellery shop.

I am working on a publication on vintage paua shell jewellery which will be published by Bateman Publishers in Auckland, New Zealand in September 2015 in addition to an e-book on the topic as well.

[dognose]

Hi Elly,

Welcome to the Forum.

Many thanks for sharing this information with us, it is appreciated.

We look forward to reading your book when it becomes available.

Trev.

[dognose]

The details of Jim Cotterill and Arthur Morrison have now been added to:

Early New Zealand Silversmiths

Trev.