Chinese Export Spoons with Portugese Marks?

[bstaunto]

Hi team,

I've had these spoons a little while, they are very heavy in true Chinese Export style. They also have two extra marks. One I think is the fineness mark for Lisbon (.833) from 1886-1938. Does that seem right? The second is also Portugese, marked PART, Tardy describes it as Private. Does anyone know what that means? And what it was used for?

Thanks, I'm a bit lost!

Ben

[dognose]

Hi Ben,

Great pieces!

I agree with your Portuguese findings. I have never seen the 'PART.' mark before, I guess it may have been used for private individuals, rather than silversmiths, to check that what they acquired was in fact real silver.

The Chinese maker that used that 'P' mark, with the elongated serif at the base of the letter, is thought to have been Canton-based, and may have been the same silversmith who used the pseudo 'WE-WF-WC' marking, and is now thought to have been working up to c.1880.

Trev.