Help with makers mark

[ctree1066]

I have what appears to be an 18th century decanter label with only makers mark and lion passant, please could someone help identify the maker and a possible Town? Thanks in advance

[AG2012]

Hi,
William Devenport London and Birmingham,end 19th century and later, is the only maker matching W.D as far as I can tell.
Regards

[silvermakersmarks]

The lion passant here is of the form used on London marks between 1739 and 1755.

I would attribute this mark as "probably William Dorrell". We know that Dorrell registered marks as a smallworker in 1736 and 1762. The second of these has a pellet between the letters as on this decanter label but the first mark just has the initials. However it is not at all unlikely that a William Dorrell [W·D] mark might have been in the now missing Smallworkers' Register for 1739-1758. To support this theory the Plate Act of 1738 required all makers to register new marks different to their old ones. This is why new registers were started in 1739.

Phil

[AG2012]

See here:

viewtopic.php?t=34299

Regards