Grimwade indicates that he may well have had a Roman capitals mark, citing a pair of buckles in the Maufe collection at Kenwood House. Two other examples of of this mark have been seen, one on a buckle of post 1756 assay, and one on a pair of sugar nips with a 1740 -1756 Lion Passant Guardant.
Neil (or Neal ) was certainly active before his first recorded mark of 1776, being in the PR1773 as a bucklemaker.
There is a very illuminating case concerning him in the Proceedings of the Old Bailey on 20 April 1757 ( t17570420 - 27 )
This is an account of some buckles which were stolen while in transit back to Neal Campbell at Aylesbury.
The silver had been sent to Mr David James of Monkwell Street ( a very popular Street for silversmith, especially bucklemakers) for him to work into "rims for buckles" He sent them back after working them but still in an unfinished state. The whole case indicates the scale, even in the 1750's , that work was sub-divided into subcontracting.

