unknown mark

[R ingo]

Hello,
I have a spoon, probably from Hamburg with unknown marks.
The makers mark looks a little like the mark from Johann Heinrich Albrecht Janssen & Co. from Hamburg ( http://www.925-1000.com/Fger_hamburg_01.html ). But I have no idea, what the second mark shows.
I would be glad, if someone can help me.

Kind regards,
Ringo

[silverport]

First mark = Concession mark; HJ&Co = H. Janssen & Co, Juweliere, Steinstr. 19

Hello Ringo

Through rain intrusion, many books of my library and other items are damaged or destroyed — well, St. Peter and his team must deliver the shower- and coffee-water before the season, and not as today usual »just-in-time«!

That damage is also the case of the »Schliemann« Hamburg guide. Actually I couldn’t give you a much more sounded confirmation as just now.

The in the image shown first mark is the mark of one (actually unknown) Concession’s — the Hamburg Guild introduced in 1815 the possibility to get a Concession to work in Hamburg town in Gold or Silver, for those who couldn’t get a Master workshop (there were only 48 available), or for those which haven’t liked to get one. These Concessions’s permitted to have until 3 additional professional workers — the sale of the output was only permitted to Master workshops.

The second mark is then not the »maker’s mark«, but the »retailer’s mark« of »H. Janssen & Co., Juweliere«, with their shop in the Steinstr. 19, of Hamburg.

The here shown »HJ&Co« mark, in a polygonal cartouche, isn’t shown in »Schliemann« - there is only mentioned a similar contents of mark, but in a simple rectangle only (vol. I, p. 313, numb. 688).

Well, in that time span of around 1840-1865 and later, in Hamburg it became a little bit more usual, to have a more impressive cartouche (e.g. »B&G« = »Brahmfeld & Gutruf«, »VIOL« = Carl August Eduard Viol), or a fond texture (e.g. diagonal »I-F-B« = Johann Friedrich Brahmfeld, horizontal or vertical lines).

In »Schliemann« isn’t mentioned any other, which has the same combination of initial’s and ampersand, as only »H. Janssen & Co«.

So, the spoon is made by an actually unknown Concession workshop — retailed by »H. Janssen & Co«.

Kind regards silverport

[Theoderich]

Hallo silverport

I am very sorry for your damaged books.

It is very interesting, what did you write.
There is an other mark of this shop.

[silverport]

»H. Janssen & Co« = They were workshop for Silver, Jeweller, and Retailer.

Hello

In the history of the Hamburg Guild of Gold- and Silversmiths until 1468/1469 they’ve had 12 Master workshops only. In a latter period, on 6 February 1579 a Warden’s workshop was added (e.g. for Jacob Mores I). The first enlargement with additional (= new ones) has happen in 1599.

Reasons of rising population and hope of a prosperous economy after the “30 years War« (1618-1648) made it in 1649 necessary, to add to the already 24 existing permissions 24 more. That has happen on 20 March 1649 = from then on there were in Hamburg 48 Master workshops.

Again after a period of economic decline by the Napoleonic wars, was there after the 1815 Vienna Congress a rising hope of a prosperous economy.

»Share and dominate the participating« was in 1815 for their final medium century of existence the motto of the Hamburg Guild of Gold- and Silversmiths. Their solution of first choice was, to give »Concession’s«.

These Concessions had as maker’s mark a numerical indication, in a lozenge (* vol. II, p. 560); which was always struck before the assay proceedings; some times the mark of the retailer’s workshop was struck after the proceedings.

When for which reason whoever a concession had finished, then that number was reused for another, new participating workshop. In that time of a medium century were a lot of changes — so the number doesn’t stand in each case for an individual person only.

In the latter period it became also usual, that a concession has had here individual mark; e.g. initials, family name, symbols (in free style), like that one of this spoon … But only a few of these individual marks are known yet.

A curiosity is that only a few days before the end of this procedure, was hand-out the last concession.

Some of the mid XIX century retailers in Hamburg, well known as like e.g. »Brahmfeld & Gutruf«, »H. Janssen & Co«, »Watty« … were workshop and retailer; retailer for their own production, and that of collaborating Concession holders.

In the following in brief I let you ‘see’ the “chain” of history * of »H. Janssen & Co« “anchor”:

Johann Heinrich Albrecht Janssen (vol. II, p. 541) was the founder of »H. Janssen & Co« (Addr. Book 1863-1870: Jewellers, Steinstr. 19). This workshop was freed from the Guild on 27 December 1864.

Johann Heinrich Albrecht Janssen bought his workshop on 22 June 1861 from Friedrich Ludwig Otto Ganss.

Friedrich Ludwig Otto Ganss (vol. II, p. 540) has bought his workshop on (vol. I, p. 235, workshop-numb. 21: 27 October 1857) 7 November 1857 from Johann Meyer.

Johann Meyer (vol. II, p. 491) has bought his workshop on 19 July 1816 from Wilhelm Georg Brandt.

Wilhelm Georg Brandt (vol. II, p. 481) has bought his workshop on 30 May 1810 from Christian Peter Schween.

Christian Peter Schween (vol. II, p. 459) has bought his workshop on 22 July 1791 from Andreas Schnitger.

Andreas Schnitger (vol. II, p. 416-418) has bought this additional workshop on 26 August 1790 from Christopher Friederich Stockhausen.

Christopher Friederich Stockhausen (vol. II, p. 443) has bought his workshop on 1 October 1783 from Anthon Hinrich von Dadelszen.

Anthon Hinrich von Dadelszen (vol. II, p. 392-394) has bought this additional workshop on 20 September 1783 from Zacharias Rülow.

Zacharias Rülow (Rülaw) (vol. II, p. 341-345) has bought his workshop on 14 May 1728 from Friederich Schulte.

Friederich Schulte (Schultze) (vol. II, p. 265) has bought his workshop on 14 July 1687 from Hans Christoff Schubert.

Hans Christoff Schubert (vol. II, p. 254) has bought his workshop on 13 December 1677 from Harmen Lüders.

Harmen Lüders (vol. II, p. 187-188) has bought his workshop on 29 April 1658 from Steffen Sömrings.

Steffen Sömrings (Sömringk, Semmerinck) (vol. II, p. 135-136) has bought his workshop on 12 November 1646 from Andreas de Meyere.

Andreas de Meyere (vol. II, p. 121) has bought his workshop on 22 September 1634 from Hans Simons, with consens of Jürgen von Fulda’s heirs guardians.

Hans Simons (Simens, Siemsens) (vol. II, p. 112) has bought his workshop on 29 October 1632 from Jürgen von Fulda’s heirs guardians.

Jürgen von Fulda (vol. II, p. 92) has bought his workshop on 8 September 1619 from Jost van Gissel.

Jost van Gissel (vol. II, p. 71) has bought his workshop on 21 December 1599 from Moritz Kop widow Anna.

Moritz Kop widow Anna (vol. II, p. 46, 57) has married Zacharias Thomsen (vol. II, p. 57-58), which on 31 July 1599 offered this additional workshop to Jost van Gissel.

Moritz Kop (vol. II, p. 46-47) has married the stepdaughter of Flor Robin I — became Master in 1555, and on that way he has got the precedence of buy this former workshop of Thomas Erwysz.

Thomas Erwysz became Master in 1541. The previous owner of his workshop is unknown. Thomas Erwysz hasn’t had sufficient economic success — so in 1553 it became necessary to stop; and then after to sale his workshop.

Source: * Erich Schliemann, »Die Goldschmiede Hamburgs«, Vol. II. Hamburg 1985. ISBN 3-88771-005-3

Kind regards silverport

[R ingo]

Hello silverport,
I thank you very much for your help and interesting and detailed informations.

That the concession mark later could be a individual mark or a symbol, I did not know before. Very interesting. This is the first example, I have seen.

Thanks and kind regards,
Ringo

[R ingo]

Hello silverport,
interestingly I found a mark of this actually unknown concessionaire on a spoon made after the end of the Hamburg Guild of Gold- and Silversmiths. The spoon was made after 1886 (the engraved date is 1903).

Kind regards,
Ringo