Austrian candlestick

[zilverik]

Hi,

This Austrian candlestick has marks that are very worn. The marks are situated on the top. I can hardly see the Austrian mark, but it is there with my loop. The other mark is less worn. Maybe someone knows more?

Regards,

Zilverik

[dolpheus]

Hello,
nice item. Left is surely rest of austrian 13 loth mark. Right is residue of austrian "Taxe frei" mark, used 1810-1824. City letter possibly A?(Vienna). I include foto of some taxe frei mark from my collection (city letter B-prague):
Regards
M.

[dognose]

Hi dolpheus,

Thanks for your imput. Can you tell us under what circumstances the 'Tax frei' mark was used? Also, do you have a listing of of the city letter marks that were in use at this time? I note from Tardy that 'A' and 'A2' indicate Vienna, and 'G' Lintz, and you have indicated that 'B' is Prague. I'm sure I had these details in the past, but where they are now, I've no idea!

Regards Trev.

[Qrt.S]

Mind my interfering in this discussion, but you should separate Austria from Austro-Hungaria. The letters vary depending on the period.
1806-1866
A Vienna
B Prague
C Salzburg
D Lvov (Lemberg)
E Krakow
F Brno
G Linz
H Graz
I Klagenfurt
K Ljubljana
L Trieste

1867-1922
A Vienna
B Linz
C Prague
D Brno
E Krakow
F Lvov (Lemberg)
G Graz
H Bergen
J Innsbruck
K Klagenfurt
L Ljubljana
M Trieste
N Zara
P Pest
R Kaschu (Kosice)
S Sarajevo
T Timisoara
U Alba Julia
V Zagreb

A new set as from 1939-1945 and again 1986 but they are too new...

[dognose]

Many thanks Qrt.S. Presumably the 'A2' mark indicates a secondary assay office in Vienna.

I suppose the liklihood of the 'Tax frei' mark will be for secondhand items coming onto the market, hopefully dolpheus can enlighten.

Regards Trev.

[dolpheus]

Hi dognose et all,
my informations about "taxe frei" and similar marks are chiefly from book "Vývoj Českého puncovnictví"
published by Czech assay office 2001.
Austria, due to Napoleonic wars, have financial problems, issue too many paper money and have great deficiency of silver money. So, 20.8.1806 Kaiser Franz II enter "repunzierung" - every silver (and gold) item in Austrian citizens property must be re-hallmarked and one must pay 12 kreutzer for 1 loth silver (before 1806, hallmark taxe was 4 kreutzer for 16 loth)[must pay in silver money - from 03/1807 also in paper money, but 20 kreutzer/loth]. Item was marked "letter","12.letter" or "halfmoon letter" (Divis No. 84, 683 or 1493). After 1.8.1807(beginning 1.9.1806), no more items can be marked and every not re-hallmarked item was confiscated. Items in wholesalers stocks can be, after 22.7.1807, marked (free), with mark "VR" (Vorrat) (Divis No.590,591 and also in circle) and repunz-tax can be payed after retailing (then marked with repunz-mark). This vorrat mark was in use till 1824.
Because after these acquisitions remain silver deficiency, after 19.12.1809, every silver-also re-hallmarked- in citizens property (except small items - spoons, watch boxs etc.) will be confiscated (giving equivalent in paper money). If man will silver item preserve, must pay its weight in silver money, treble price in paper money, or equivalent weight other silver (this i dont understand-every silver must be proceded, not?)
Recovered items were marked with "FR" (frei) (Divis No.561,562,563).Silver confiscation ends 1.5.1810, but even after this date remain re-punzierung edict - so, "frei-mark" change to "taxe-frei mark". After 25.6.1810, every newly maked silver items must be marked "taxe-frei mark" (Divis No. 560, 564.)

1.4.1824, every these edicts were cancelled and hallmark-tax was decreased to half - 6 kreutzer / 1 loth.

Also interesting ist, 13 loth mark with date 1807 was used also 1808 and 1809. 1813 was loaded new type

mark (see my last photo) and since 1814 were in use classical 13 loth marks (till 1866).

Hope i help, sorry for my english:)
best regards
M.

[dognose]

Hi dolpheus,

Many thanks for taking the time to explain the history behind those marks, it's a facinating story.

Regards Trev.

[zilverik]

Hi all,

Thank you very much for this great information!

Regards,

Zilverik

[Qrt.S]

Sorry been ill, managed to catch the flue. Now I'm alive again....somehow ;-))
A2 is St. Pölten branch in Austro-Hungaria 1866-1897

[dognose]

Thank you Qrt.S. Hope you recover soon.

Regards Trev.

[dolpheus]

A2 can also be Moravská Třebová (Mährisch Trübau), 1903-21. Especially in combination with maker mark FB, famous Czech maker František Bibus - active in Trübau till 1949 with Czechoslovak hallmarks, then nationalized and fused with Sandrik (6-petal flower mark).

[Qrt.S]

Yes dolpheus, you are absolutely right, I didn't notice it, sorry for that.