Samuel Lynch Spoon, 1799

[FoundInNC]

Hello all, I am new to the forum, but will use it frequently because I deal in silver on a daily basis. I am a metal detectorist and have found myself in a research gridlock with my most recent silver excavation. I recovered a sterling spoon with a maker's mark, duty mark, date mark and passant lion. The maker's mark is faint but most certainly "Samuel Lynch." The duty mark is George III, the date mark is "D" and there is the lion of course. I would love to know the history on the company and individual that made this spoon. It was found in North Carolina, in the USA. I understand that my spoon is mangled but that does not take away from the curiosity that it has placed in me. Can anyone please help?

These links (below) are the pictures.

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(admin edit - please add your own images without linking to other websites)

[FoundInNC]

Here are the pictures, I hope they are clear enough!

http://i49.tinypic.com/fw0q6s.jpg
http://i46.tinypic.com/2lxgyki.jpg
http://i49.tinypic.com/2i9rx5h.jpg

[dognose]

Hi,

Welcome to the Forum.

It's not London, but American coin silver with pseudo London marks.

See: Lemuel Lynch at Wev's site: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.anc ... /83551.htm

Trev.

[FoundInNC]

Wow! thank you so much! I can't believe you were able to figure that out! Do you think the date code is still accurate? I thought it was coin silver when I dug it up, just from seeing other examples from collecting.

[dognose]

Hi,

I doubt the pseudo dateletter has any reflection on a particular year of manufacture.

Trev.

[dragonflywink]

Hi - usually hate to see mangled silver, but there's an almost sculptural quality to this one - interesting what the years in the ground did to it. The "D" in your pseudo-marks is generally believed to stand for 'Dollar', one of several terms used on American silver before sterling became standard, like 'Coin', 'Standard', etc. Good possibility that Lemuel Lynch, in this case, was the retailer of the spoon, pseudo-marks were often used by wholesalers, especially in New York; would guess it dates about 1840ish.

~Cheryl

[FoundInNC]

Cheryl,Trev, Thanks for your information. I, also, love the way the earth has manipulated this spoon. It is nature's way of taking back man's creations. I will be leaving it as is. I would agree with your date estimate. Lemuel Lynch was in his prime in the 1820s and by 1840s it looked as though he had taken on his clock business full time. Another thing that I think is SUPER interesting is that Lemuel was born about 4 miles north of my current home, and my hometown. His business was in neighboring Hillsborough NC, about 10 miles east of me. It is really nice to have a piece of local coin silver and I will cherish it for as long as I live. I will also keep my eyes open on eBay etc for other pieces of L.Lynch coin silver, and possibly build up a collection.

Here is another question for you guys and gals to think on. My great great great great great Grandfather was a silversmith and clock maker in Alamance County, NC from the late 1700s to the mid to late 1800s. His name was Thomas Dixon. How might I find out if a piece of his silver still exists so that I may purchase it? Has anyone ever seen an example of his work?

[wev]

By family tradition, he was sent to Philadelphia by his father Simon (Simeon) to learn the clock making trade. He returned some time later to Cane Creek and established a small clock and watch shop. It is not known (outside the family history) that he worked in silver in any formal manner. He has no known mark and is not listed in Cutten's North Carolina. I recently added him to my little project.