Help with maker of a shell back spoon

[rat-tail]

Hi All - any help appreciated with this shell back tablespoon. The maker's mark is LB and is clear, but can't find any LB in Jacksons that fits the time frame. The rest of the marks are very rubbed. I am assuming it's London, but there are only three marks - the second mark looks to be another set of initials, and the cartouch may be wrong for a lion passant, the third mark is unreadable and could be anything, leopards head, thistle, etc. So spoon could be provincial. Am assuming time frame of C1750 - Many thanks Frank





Maker's mark - closest to the bowl


Second mark


Second and third mark again


Second and third mark from the other side

[dognose]

Hi Frank,

I'm really only shooting in the dark here, but could this have been an older spoon that passed through the hands of Lodewyk Beck and was later marked by him?

Only speculating.

I'll move the post to the colonial section to see if another member has any thoughts

Trev.

[rat-tail]

Hi Trev
Many thanks and provincial may be a good place to start.
Hadn't thought of the Ludewick Beck angle, and it certainly could be possible. Though looking at Weltz all Beck's marks seems to be a lot more irregular and cruder. The LB here nice and crisp with clean serifs. The loops on the B of Beck's marks seem quite a bit fatter.
My first thought was that the second rubbed mark could have been a repeat of LB, but on closer examination it seems unlikely. I looked at Edinburgh assay markers marks and the only two likely candidates were Archibald Ure (impossible) and Hugh Gordon (a bit of a stretch).
Looking at the pictures again think I can see the feint trace of a mark I hadn't noticed before, between the maker's mark and the rubbed mark. It might be the rump of a lion passant - intriguing. Would assume it's too early for Indian colonial or Chinese export.Not sure if the early American silversmiths did shellbacks.
I'll try see if I can get better pics in natural light at the weekend - that's if it ever stops raining here. - Regards Frank

[robert12]

Hi,
There is a LB mark on the silvermakersmarks website (London makers) for Louis Black which is very similar Reg 1756+ 1761,
this mark has been seen on a spoon.It looks like may be the same allowing for the re-shaping or punch wear.
No idea for the second mark though.

Robert

[rat-tail]

Hi - many thanks - Frank