I am trying to identify the manufacturer of a 12 place setting of flatware that has been in my family for many years. I know that the set belonged to my paternal grandparents who died in 1895 and 1909 before I was born in 1927. Both of the grandparents were born in Germany and immigrated to the US in the late 1860's to 1873. I have searched the internet for representations of the marking on the flatware and have not been successful in identifying the origin, manufacturer or the date of manufacture of the set. Each of the utensils has a smooth 1/2 inch diameter circle where my grandfather's initials are engraved. The "silver" set does not include knives. However, there are 12 ivory handled very sharp steel knives with rounded "noses". The six inch long by 7/8 inch wide blades are stamped: JOHN NESBITT over 42 MARKET STREET over MANCHESTER.
The tableware is in a blue "velvet ?" lined wooden container which bears the identification: EDWARD & SONS ; Jewelers & Silversmiths ; Buchanan Street ; Glasgow.
Stamped on the rear of each piece of the silver set (from left to right) is: A1 (enclosed in a rectangle): Is this a date code? ; EDWARD (enclosed in a rectangle) ; A "CROWN" over the letters EP (both enclosed by a shield that has a "point" on the top and bottom.): Does EP indicate that the items are electroplated? Does the crown indicate that the flatware was manufactured in Glasgow by Edward & Sons?
Could you please help me out? These items are not for sale as they are to be passed on to one of my three daughters.