"Backwards" lion on Birmingham fork & spoon

[torysemo]

I have a long -handled (8.25") fork and spoon set with a right-facing lion, the Birmingham anchor and, presumably, a date stamp (which I can't read to identify), the word STERLING and PAT. 1899.

All the English examples I've seen show a left-facing lion. So what does it mean to have a right-facing lion? Also, can anyone read the date stamp?

[dognose]

Hi,

Welcome to the Forum.

Not Birmingham, but Providence, Rhode Island, these are Gorham pieces.

See: http://www.925-1000.com/Gorham_Date_Code.html

and: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=39068

Trev.

[torysemo]

ROFL! I've already misidentified Polish marks as Rusian Kokoshniks, so why not another total miss from US to England> Good grief!

Thank you so much for straightening me out. Appreciate the information.