Fiddle spoon

[Granna]

I am trying to identify an extremely tiny hallmark on a fiddle spoon. It looks like a five pointed star, a lion passant, and an upper case letter D. There is also the name D.G. leonard atamped on the back. Thank you.

[2209patrick]

Could not find a silversmith by the name D.G. Leonard in my American reference books. That might be the retailer.
Dorothy Rainwater's book identifies a mark similar to the mark you describe as belonging to John L. Westervelt, Newburgh, New York. He manufactured silver items from 1854 to 1904.



Pat.

[Granna]

Thank you very much for the information. So the lion passant does not necessarily mean that the spoon was from England? I'll need to check a map of New York. The spoon was passed down from my grandparents and my grandfather lived in Monroe, NY as a young boy from 1889-1905.

[2209patrick]

Different versions of the British lion passant are often used on silver items of 19th century American silver from New York state.
Many Canadian marks also included different styles of lion marks.
In England the lion passant indicates a fineness of .925 or sterling. On American and Canadian marks it has no meaning at all.

John L. Vestervelt was born on a farm near Newburgh in 1826. In the nearby town of Walden he served his apprenticeship. I checked a map and Monroe, New York, is just southwest of Newburgh.



Pat.