Unidentified marks on petite tea spoon (with photos)

[Overtherainbow]

Can anyone help me determine maker and date of manufacture?

I think it is British, but there are only three stamps besides the maker's which is N & H in a straight sided rectangle.

Below the maker on the stem is the Lion set in an elongated octogon. The next stamped mark may be a date??, but does not look like any on this website. It looks like a stylized (Maybe script) Roman Numeral for 2 (II). Finally the Anchor stamp is resting on its side in an elongated octogon which I believe indicates Burmingham.

There in no duty mark.

There is one other mark on the top of the spoon on the reverse: A hatted man with a pole or yoke over his back with a simple "burden" on each end of the pole. It is a very finely done mark and quite large as far as marks go being nearly 1/2 inch high.

When I bought the spoon I was told it was made in the 1800s, but the N & H maker stamp is confusing as is the odd date(?) stamp.

Can anyone help? Thanks a bunch.

OTR

[Overtherainbow]

After looking at the Birmingham assay office site, the date stamp is a U for 1894. After looking at my spoon again (under magnification) I discovered there is definitely a fine line linking the two vertical lines making the U.

I further learned that duty stamps were not used after 1890 which explains why there is not a duty stamp on the hallmark.

However, the maker's stamp ( N & H) was not listed in the data base so that is still a mystery. Any help?

Thanks!!

OTR

[dognose]

Hi,

Welcome to the Forum.

Maker of your spoon is Nathan & Hayes.

Trev.

[Overtherainbow]

Hi Trev -
Thank you so much for this info. I've serched the internet for a photo of the Nathan & Hayes mark and so far have only found GN & RH all together, instead of simply N & H, but will keep looking. The spoon is very small and maybe they were short of room. They pair lived in Birmingham and made some pretty fancy things.

Any ideas about the fellow inscribed at the top of my spoon in the back. I've never seen anything like it.

THX.
OTR

[2209patrick]

Hello.

Your Nathan & Hayes mark was entered at Birmingham in May of 1888.



London changed its date letters in May, Birmingham and Sheffield in June and Edinburgh in October.
In 1975 London, Birmingham, Sheffield and Edinburgh adopted the same date lettering cycle with changes coming on January first.

Your date letter looks like an "N" to me for 1877/1888.

Pat.

[Overtherainbow]

Hi Pat -
Thank you for the great info on Nathan & Hayes marks. This was a great help.

Do you (or anyone) have any ideas about the inscribed man with the pole at the top of the spoon on the back. It seems to have been inscribed or molded and not stamped. This spoon was part of a set and all had the same picture, but I did not inspect them for manufacturing differences.

Thanks again.
OTR

[dognose]

Some extra information on Nathan & Hayes.

The partnership of George Nathan and Ridley Hayes was formed in 1885 and they were first recorded at 285, Icknield Street, Birmingham in 1893. They had London showrooms at 95, Hatton Garden and in 1906 moved their London base to 13, Hatton Garden, this was followed by a move of their Birmingham factory to the Institute Works in Howard Street.

Nathan & Hayes also entered marks at the London Assay Office, they were taken over in the 1920's by S. Blanckensee & Son Ltd.

George Nathan died in 1935, aged 80 years.

Trev.

[Overtherainbow]

Thank you so much for the added info. I'll save it with my spoon.

This little spoon is the only thing I own that is actually antique. I am not a collector and this is my first foray into the world of silver.

I would love to see my spoon listed in a catalog of their pieces - even though it's a rather utilitarian piece of silver. Does a catalog exist?

Thanks Trev.

This is a wonderful website.