Robert Gainsford? RG Eagle Stars "Grave" Mark?

[RArmstrong]

Hello, I found a spoon today at an auction preview that looked old and has two marks. First I forgot to take a photo of the spoon itself because I was so intent on researching the mark - The spoon is an old two piece (handle joined to bowl underside - not sure what that is technically called.) On back stem is RG with a dot between the two letters - I was able to find one similar that said it was Robert Gainsford. But what's weird is the mark on the back of the handle - an Eagle with Stars and the word "GRAVE" - could be partially worn off. At first I thought this could be American because of the eagle and stars. Maybe a monogram?

Has anyone seen marks like this on anything? Hopefully I'll win the box of silver it's buried in and can show the whole spoon soon.

Thanks in advance - any help will be greatly appreciated!

[silverly]

This spoon has the look of pewter to me. Hope I'm wrong.

[wev]

Impossible to tell without seeing the spoon. There was a somewhat disreputable 17c Salem/Boston MA pewtersmith named Robert Graves. He is known to have worked for several decades, but nothing of his work is known to have survived. That said, no one in 1650 was using a typeface as shown in either mark, so it is likely a fantasy piece.

[wev]

That said, no one in 1650 was using a typeface as shown in either mark, to say nothing of the Federal Eagle, so it is likely a fantasy piece.

Did I mention that I dislike the editing and post controls of this forum? Dreadful.

[dragonflywink]

Believe the pewterer referenced was Richard Graves rather than Robert...

~Cheryl

[wev]

Yes

[RArmstrong]

Hi Again, I forgot I even asked about this mark and now almost a year later I found another - this time on a small shot glass (appears to be polished pewter) with the eagle/stars mark and more letters "GRAVERE" I believe. Still cannot find who made this --- "Gravere" seems to be an old commune in Italy, but the eagle and stars seems American. Hmm, the search continues.

[AG2012]

Hi,
It`s GRAVER
Richard Graver
504 West Lafayette Street
West Chester, PA 19380
http://www.finepewter.com/Information_P ... _Page.html

His touchplate with your marks.
Regards

[dognose]

Hi AG2012,

Great work. You are the master detective!

Trev.

[RArmstrong]

AG2012, THANK YOU!!!!! Gosh all I had to do was stop typing after the "r" :)