HELP APPRECIATED WITH LONDON MARK

[excalibur1661]

Dear Board Members,

Here is a Victorian item by Robert Hennell.

Your comments on the right-most mark is greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,

Fred

[WarrenKundis]

Hi Fred,

Interesting marks, the particular shape of the right leg of the R appears to be that of Robert Hennell II, nephew of Robert Hennel I. The London date letter lower case r appears to be 1872. The only significance in that year of Victoria's reign was the recovery of the Prince of Wales of typhoid fever that had killed the Prince Consort. Don't believe that that is the answer. There also appears to be a mark stamped on the ring next to the other marks.

I'm sure Phil or Trev will nail that down for you.
Warren

[excalibur1661]

Hi Warren,

Thank you for the comment. Up until now, I thought the maker was Robert Hennell IV.

In my naive way of approaching the last mark, I figured it might be somehow related to one of the 1872 World Expos. However my google search led to no evidence of this sort.

As you correctly pointed out, perhaps Trev or Phil could figure this one out.

By the way, thanks ever so much for your time and effort in figuring out the marks on my German item which I posted s few days back.

Cheers,

Fred

[silvermakersmarks]

I agree with you both that the date is 1872. However I also believe that Fred is right in thinking that the sponsor's mark is that of Robert Hennell IV whose company, Robert Hennell & Sons, registered two "RH" marks, one in January 1869 and the other in February 1870.

The Hennell company was started by Robert Hennell [RH] II in 1809. In 1817 it became Robert Hennell & Son when RH III joined his father. RH II retired in 1833 (so Fred's RH cannot be RH II). RH II was joined in the company by his two sons, RH III and James Barclay Hennell and in 1850 the company became Robert Hennell & Sons. RH III died in 1868 and the sons took on the company by themselves using RH IV's mark. RH IV retired in 1877 and the company used the mark "JBH" until 1887 when the company was sold to Holland, Aldwinckle & Slater.

However none of this answers Fred's original question about the mark next to the hallmark. I have no idea...

Phil

[WarrenKundis]

Good morning Phil,

Yes I did see your comment about Robert the II retiring in 1833, that did throw my attribution into question. Thanks for clearing that up.

On the mystery mark, there was recently a question about a Birmingham mark with c c on it. That was commentating the bi-centenary of the Birmingham assay office in 1973. This is 1872, some connection?

W