Postby silverport » Sat Jan 29, 2011 6:50 pm
Hello »cerissa«
Not all is already published — and many themes would need research in local archives. That’s now one of my results of an intensive research.
The »Sacred Heart« mark is such a theme.
As I’ve already mentioned, it could be an owner’s mark — but it could be also a memory mark.
When I first enlarged the blurry files — then I had the impression, that the mark in question is a copy in miniature of a wood-cut illustration from the XVII century. That illustration has above the heart a kind of flower-pot with an implanted cross, flowering.
In between I’ve very often enlarged again, and again - but now it seems to me, for reason not being strictly in the axis of symmetries, I’ve the impression that the hart’s top is another, separate mark = maybe that is the maker’s mark? In this case it seems being placed top down?
Please would you describe also that part of this kind of combination-mark?
If the »Sacred Heart« mark is an owner’s mark, then it’s necessary to visit many archives of congregations, to find out where they’ve had cutlery in silver. This spoon could be a soup spoon, with a secret integrated marrow ‘spoon’ at the decorative tip — or it’s a server? Yes indeed, knowing dimensions is most often very helpful.
The pattern is an Iberian pattern from around the beginning of XX century — so came up now another possibility for the signification of the »Sacred Heart« mark = maybe a memory mark?
The »Sacred Heart« mystification is more or less as old as the Christianity.
But when the Protestantism has got some importance, rose up the Counter Reformation too. It’s normal in the history of mankind that in such a kind of ‘Revolution’ are developing also new visions.
To make it short:
Just before 1900, on 25 May 1899 has the Pope León XIII published his encyclical »Annum Sacrum«, in which he stated that the human mankind of the Globe must be consecrated to the »Sacred Heart« - and that was be done by him on 11 June 1899.
To understand this metaphysical event, you must realise that on each change of centuries, there rise “prophets” — just remember the 31 December 1999 and 1 January 2000: Computer Problems where promised.
But back to Portugal:
1910 became Portugal to be a Republic — and in 1928 the Pope and Portuguese Bishops consecrated Portugal again to the »Sacred Heart«.
Maybe the »Sacred heart« mark on yours spoon is a sign, that he is being consecrated too?
The time span of the Porto Assay Office mark is 1887 until 1937 - but if yours mark has integrated near the lower right corner a little D = than it's the mark of the Porto dependency in Gondomar; their time span is from 1900 until 1913.
By the way: The ‘wings’ of the “heart” aren’t ‘wings’, but ‘rays’ or ‘flames of love’.
Kind regards silverport
