19c Mustard Pot; No Leopards head in Mark. Explanation?

[ArtsdeTable]

As you see from the photo of the marks, there is no leopard's head. Does this mean it is not solid silver? The letter corresponds to 1894/95 (London).
The maker's mark is apparently WE, whom I cannot find. The E looks less like an E when magnified. Can anyone identify the maker or explain the missing leopard?
Thanks





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[dognose]

Hi,

Welcome to the Forum.

Whereabouts on the item are these marks positioned?

Trev.
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[ArtsdeTable]

Thanks. They are under the lid. It occurs to me that if it were silver plate there would be some sign of the underlying metal by now; under the bottom are some scratches, one gives a number the other looks like script but is unreadable even under a magnifying glass. Hmm, perhaps if I photographed it and really blew it up....... The bottom appears to have been soldered to the barrel with copper as there are traces of green at the join.
regards, thanks for your help.
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[dognose]

Hi,

No, I have no doubt that your item is silver, the marks in this position are exactly what one would expect to find under the lid, as they are a secondary set of marks. The full set was probably positioned near the top of the main body of the piece, and have probably been worn away, a careful inspection may show some trace.
The loss of marks on such things as mustard pots is not uncommon, they were an item that was used on a daily basis, but not washed as spoons, forks etc. would have been, so would have been polished a lot more often, hence the loss of marks.

The maker I suspect is possibly William Edwards, hopefully someone with better references will confirm/deny.

Trev.
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[ArtsdeTable]

Hello, thanks very much, have found traces, must look more closely in future; just a beginner. Thank you for your interest and your time.
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[georgiansilver]

Suggest it might be more likely that William Evans was manafacturer but be guided by the masses... LOL.
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[dognose]

Hi,

Yes, I believe Mike's attribution is probably correct, William Evans.

I originally took my possible attribution of Edwards from 'The Colman Collection of Silver Mustard Pots' Item 122 (they also mention the possibility of Evans). This presumably would be William Walker Evans, trading under the name of his father, William Evans, who was born c.1820, so probably retired or deceased by this time.
Interestingly John Culme in his 'Directory of Gold & Silversmiths' has a final listing for William Walker Evans in 1880, so maybe this item was made by a third generation of the Evans.

Trev.
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[MCB]

Hello,

The oval mark is perhaps the one identified at item 14710 of Culme's Directory as registered in 1864 by a William Evans of Sekforde Street succeeding his father John as a manufacturing silversmith in 1867 and disposing of the business to F A Burridge around 1894.

Mike
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[dognose]

Hi Mike,

Ah..I see it now.
Unfortunately, I have not got Vol.2 of John Culme's Directory and it sounds like I have the wrong William Evans. There are three of them in Vol.1, but only two listed as William, I missed the one listed under John.

Many thanks for the correction, I must invest in Vol.2.

Regards Trev.
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