Can anyone help with these marks??

[nelsoncat]

Hi there!...i am struggling to identify the hallmarks on these spoons, i was thinking they could be Russian?? it has a tree like mark in the middle with two lots of initials on them, looks like VB and MC,MG or MQ?? also has R82 in a small rectangle box ...any help would be much appreciated.
Many thanks & kind regards
Tom

[oel]

Hi Tom, welcome to the forum,

Looking at your images, I believe we could call those 'look alike apostle spoons', the marks are; pseudo marks, to imitate the older Dutch city guild marks, thus pretending to be antique spoons and to look old.
I would like to see a close up of the R82 rectangle mark, could you also check for other marks, like a little sword mark.
For information about Dutch hallmarks and older Dutch city guild marks see:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=32028

Oel.

[nelsoncat]

Hi Oel, fantastic!...many thanks for your quick response and yes i agree very apostle like.
As soon as i get back i will forward you a close up picture of the rectangle mark, i am quite sure there are no more marks but i will double check.
Great site by the way,some very usefull info, will defo be back.
Many thanks
Tom

[nelsoncat]

Hi Oel, here is a close up of the rectangle mark,there are no other marks,hope this helps!
Again many thanks.

[oel]

Hi Tom,

Thanks very much and very helpful because I suspected the maker’s mark not to be R82 but indeed RS above 2 for: Jans Rinze Spaanstra registered in the cities of Drachten/Wommels/Berlicum(Frisian) and Nijehaske from around 1843 till 1896. Known to have used those particular set of pseudo marks see: http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic ... 568#p85568
If there are no official hallmarks, the silver standard or fineness of the silver is unknown but I guess it will be minimum 833/1000 (83.3% of the weight is pure silver )


Oel.

[nelsoncat]

Hi Oel, superb information!, again many thanks & kind regards
Tom