Sterling Serving Set assist with mark please

[Karen Hewitt]

Hello, help appreciated with this sterling serving set, heavy pieces measure 9" long and impressed "sterling pat'd A. Stowell & Co." plus impressed mark that just looks like a blob to me- an "F" or "T"? I know Stowell would be the retailer.

If anyone is familiar with this mark, I'd love to hear. I have my "Encyclopedia of American Silver Manufactuers" which is somewhat limited (or I am limited in knowing how to use it!).

Thank you to all who ponder this.

[silverport]

Wm. B. Durgin Co.

Hello Karen

Please look here (right side column): http://www.925-1000.com/americansilver_D2.html

and here: http://www.925-1000.com/ax_durgin.html

Kind regards silverport

[Karen Hewitt]

Silverport,
Quite amazing, I see you also interpret marks submitted, ahh, upside-down. Thank you ever so much!
The research corollary to reviewing my reference books is that the mark appears in same after I have submitted the unfindable mark to the silver forum.

Karen

[silverport]

Thank you for the »flowers«!

Hello Karen

During my military service I’ve taught me to could “see” and read more: Upside down text, mirrored, mirrored upside down — that was also with maps very helpful as messenger; you know maps are printed North “oriented”.

Graphic became later my second profession — and also that helps me by the interpretation of incomplete letters and marks.

You’ve already some of the same capacity developed from childhood on = by completing a letter missing in a medium.

In this case it was very simple too: The pieces had to be marked > the mark was placed in symmetry axial direction > the bowls have a bigger volume and weight as the stems > to prevent that during the strike they fall down > they’ve to be placed on the anvil in a secure position > that is almost near the position where the striker stands > normally would be struck upside up > so the bottom part of the marks would be bowls oriented. That’s it.

It helps often collectors during the observation of difficult mark compositions to “divide” the marks in individual ones — and then turn them to the right, or left, or upside down.

Kind regards silverport