No Town Assay Mark On Condiment Spoon

[Pooka]

Hello,

I've this nice condiment spoon but there is no town assay mark and I am finding it difficult to pin down where, when and who made it! It looks like there is an IN maker's mark, a lion guardant (?), a T date letter and a bust of George the III (?). As way of investigation I've been through all the British silver assaying towns looking for a T with the same cartouche as in the picture between the dates of 1760-1820 for George the III but I haven't had any conclusive results. Can anyone help with any info?

Many thanks,

Greg.

http://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii6 ... Spoony.jpg

[silvermakersmarks]

This is almost certainly a London 1814 hallmark. Note that the assay office mark (in this case the crowned leopard's head) was frequently omitted at this period. The most likely maker's mark in my opinion is NH for Naphthali Hart.

Incidentally, is it just me or is it Photobucket? When I click on Photobucket image links in these forums I always seem to get a very small image, in this case 180x240 pixels, which makes identification more difficult. I am sure the original image must have been bigger.

[carlislepaul]

Hi

I open this photobucket image link to a full screen picture, previously Dognose has stated he has the same problem with my photobucket image links, need a computer expert to explain why.

Regards

Paul

[dognose]

Hi all,

This was indeed the problem that I had until about six weeks ago, when the tiny images miraculously started appearing at expected sizes. I had made no adjustments to my computer, It's very odd.

Phil, I've a slight doubt over about the possibility of the maker being Naphthali Hart. The three serifs on the 'N', to me, make it more likely that it is indicative of being viewed the other way up and thus being that of the surname. Grimwade's images are none to clear, but what do you think of the possibility that the mark may be that of Hannah Northcote (Grimwade 1038)? There is in Grimwade's reproduction a possibility of a pellet, but that may just be a problem with the ink impression.

Trev.

[Pooka]

Many thanks for the replies!

I hope the Photobucket image is appearing okay now on people's pc's - when I click my link I get a lovely, detailed big picture of the marks.

Dognose do you mean, when you mention the “ three serifs ” , the three dashes on the “N”? If so then I agree that the “N” is the surname and the “I” is the forename ( if it is an “I” ! ). In olden days didn't an “I” also signify a “J”? So maybe the “IN” is a “JN”? If so could “Hannah Northcote” be, as Dognose suggests, “Johannah Northcote”, or something of that sort? Just a wild guess! I'm so pleased that I had near enough the right age of the spoon and thankyou silvermakersmarks for corroborating this!

Is Grimwade's a book? Is it online? I'd like to have this tome as a reference!

Thanks again and off to look at 1814 London hallmarks!

Greg.

[Pooka]

Eek! I just saw on Amazon Grimwade's is a book and is £100-£175! It must be an amazing book but out of my reach for the moment.

Greg.

[Pooka]

After thinking about what people have said and looking at the picture again, I do now think the “I” I mention is indeed a partly erased “H”. Looking at the maker's marks listed on here there are then three suggestions : Hannah Northcote and Napthali Hart ( as mentioned by Dognose and Silvermakersmarks ) but a Henry Nutting is also mentioned. If the item is by any of these three silversmiths I'd be very pleased!

Thanks again,

Greg.

[silvermakersmarks]

I would be happy with an attribution of Hannah Northcote. I am currently away from home so can't check the mark in detail against Grimwade - and the image for me is not clear enough to see any detail.

Phil

[Pooka]

Nailed! Thanks again for all the help!

Greg.

[dognose]

Hi Phil,

I understand your frustration, having experienced it myself with some of the photobucket images for several months. We can only hope, that like for myself, the problem corrects itself.

Greg, Northcote or Nutting? I't's a difficult call, similar marks, timeframe, and known manufacture. Hannah Northcote was the widow of Thomas Northcote, a known spoonmaker who served his apprenticeship under Thomas Chawner, another known spoonmaker. Henry Nutting's history is similar as he also served his apprenticeship under Thomas Chawner.

The only thing that steers me towards Hannah Northcote, is that Henry Nutting was in partnership with Robert Hennell II for a short period and thus may have moved on to bigger and better things, but this is only pure speculation on my part with absolutely nothing whatsoever to back it up especially as even the great silversmiths still made spoons.

Trev.

[Pooka]

Thanks Trev, I'm going to almost surely put the spoon down to Hannah Northcote.

All the best,

Greg.