www.925-1000.com

I'm hoping one of the experts here at 925 can identify the hallmark found on this tray. The tray is stamped on one of the Cigarette/Cigar rests: with a makers mark: Crown over a Shield with an S in the field of the Sheild followed by 900.

The Ashtray is finely engraved/chased with a Pub scene in the center and bordered by Leaf & Floral Flourishes. The Piece weighs 2 troy oz and there are no other marks to be found on this piece.

I have researched online and went to numerous reference books searching US, Canada and European marks and can't find any info regarding this Hallmark???? HELP!

Thank you-

http://c.imagehost.org/0129/Silver_AshTray.jpg
http://c.imagehost.org/0657/Silver_AshT ... mark_1.jpg

Hope you don't mind me hazarding a guess, but form the style and motif I would think the piece is certainly not American or Canadian, and the 900 standard is not likely American either, possible but not likely. I am thinking Continental, leaning toward Finnish, perhaps Norway, made in a small town where marking regs were less rigid. Small items often don't have full makings even in London. Now of course that is all conjecture since the marks don't really give one much to go by. Hope one of the real experts can confirm or refute this.

Thanks for the insight I'll check the Scandanavian makers and see if I can track down the makers mark-

Don't believe your ashtray is European, to me, has a distinctly Asian and slightly primitive look in the appearance of the figures and background, the border design is very similar to some Yogya silver. Suspect that it is an Indonesian interpretation of a Dutch tavern-scene ashtray like this 1938 piece by Dutch maker Hooijkaas.

~Cheryl

http://www.925-1000.com/a_yogya.html

Hi- Cheryl- Thanks for the info!
My impression of this piece was also Dutch as per the repousse' decoration and the tavern scene. I have reviewed the Yogya info links you provided and its a possibility this piece is Yogya Silver, but the makers mark of a Crown over an S within a Shield is inconclusive and is not consistent wih Yogya markings?? phillone

Hi Phillone-

I do not know if you have looked at the silver standards page here on this site, perhaps this will help narrow it down a little.

http://www.925-1000.com/a_Standards.html


Regards- Byron

Hi Byron- I'm still researching the countries on the link you had provided. The makers mark has got to be listed somewhere? Thanks! phillone

There are a lot of unascribed marks around, hope you find yours, know from experience that it can be frustrating. As for the mark being inconsistent with Indonesian silver, would suggest that while an .800 fineness and simple initial maker's mark would be more typical - I've run across several pieces of .900 fineness and some makers did/do use trademarks.

Have seen quite a few silver and silverplate items depicting scenes from 17th century Dutch and Flemish paintings, from countries including the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, England, the U.S., even a Hazorfim piece from Israel. They are usually cast or die-stamped, the piece I showed has a cast "scene" with the rest stamped. I like your hand-worked ashtray, it has a naive charm, and just an opinion, but it still looks like an Asian version to me (and Yogya seems the likeliest). I'm fascinated with the circles on the walls (mirrors?)and what appears to be large plants with hearts(?) in front of slatted doors, interesting details.

~Cheryl

Hi Cheryl- I have researched marks for Eastern Europe, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany & Switzerland with no results??

The Tavern Scene's vignete and the attire of the characters are definitley either Bavarian, German or Swiss and not Dutch. The main character in the vignette is wearing a Tyrolean Hat with a Plume and is attired in Germanic/Bavarian Liederhosen. I just can't see Indonesian Silversmiths replicating a Germanic themed vignette, a Dutch vignette yes, but a Germanic/Swiss vignette-not likely-

U know it's frustrating to research and only come up with "educated guesswork" -phillone

To many collectors of Asian silver made for the western market, the "not getting it quite right" (especially in figural work) gives many pieces much of their charm. I think you should continue with the research, but in the end I think it will lead you back to East Asia and probably Indonesia as the point of origin.

Regards, Tom