London 1799 maker IB

[carlislepaul]

If I have correctly read these marks as London 1799 then Grimwade gives 4 possibles.

Can one of the experts please narrow it down for me?

Regards

Paul
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[dognose]

Hi Paul,

My money would be on John Blake who was a prolific maker of spoons at this time, also the addition of a journeymen's mark indicates that this piece has come from a large workshop that Blake surely, with the amount of surviving pieces from his and his widows/son partnership, must have had.

Regards Trev.
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[Granmaa]

The horrible IB combination. Many makers used it, and the marks look so similar.
A search for Blake and Bourne on the site will reveal how many members it has confused. I'm certainly amongst them.

Miles
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[carlislepaul]

Gents

Many thanks.

John Blake was my first thought, but I shall keep an open mind.

Regards

Paul
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[buckler]

I agree with Granmaa. When I see the dreaded IB mark my heart sinks. So many possibilities. What is so surprising is the number of dealers who will cheerfully attribute it to a mythical John Buckle !
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[admin]

Is there any possibility that there is a trace of a pellet at center?

Tom
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[buckler]

Although not relevent to the current spoon question I have a suspect for the mysterious IB who appears on buckles ond tongs of the late eighteenth century- both pre and post 1784

James Baker

Goldsmiths Hall Apprentice Book 9, page 2 records the apprenticeship in 1779 of James Baker, son of James Baker to William Cox to be taught the trade of Bucklemaker.
William Cox is probably William Cox II, and the father of the apprentice may well be the James Baker given by Grimwade as entering a mark as smallworker 19 April 1759 at New Court Bunhill Row .

In PR1773 at same address, no category

Probably either he or his son was the James Baker, Goldsmith of St James Clerkenwell whose will was proved at PCC 6 Aug1793
(PROB 11/1235)
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