Sampson & Mordan??

[bjojo48]

I have this creamer with hallmarks saying 1806 and George III. I suppose it is manufactured in London although the leopard has been almost entirely rubbed away. But, then the maker's mark, SM (double struck) should in my view correspond to Sampson & Mordan, that started their bussines decades later. This doesn't make sense. Can somebody help me?

Kind regards
Bjojo48

[dognose]

Hi,

Welcome to the Forum.

Over the years there have been several makers that have registered a variety of 'SM' punches, but I doubt if any of them made your creamer. I think we need to ask ourselves why would anyone strike their mark clearly twice, and so close to each other, and I suspect in this case, it was to cover up the mark of the silversmith who entered it for assay.

I would think it safe to assume that 'SM' was the retailer, he has done what many other retailers had done in the past, and that is to cover up the source of supply. This was probably not done to make the work appear to be his own, but simply to ensure that the customer did not go direct to the silversmith should he wish to add other pieces to his collection that were made in exactly the same style and workmanship, and thus cut out the middleman.

Trev.

[bjojo48]

Hello Trev, and thank you for this enlightning answer! To me it sounds very plausible. I will have to live without knowing who made the piece.

Thanks again /bjojo48