Is this a German Spoon and who is the maker?

[SilverK]

I've presented this spoon in the forum's German section because it came with a Hamburg spoon engraved with the same German surname, though of an earlier date, suggesting they may have come from the same family. I have no other reason for thinking this may be German.

The prick engraving to the back of the terminal is 'Peter Dittmer 1886' (not shown). The stem carries the name of either the silversmith or the retailer, but is imperfectly stamped, with the leading letters indecipherable, at least to me since I'm not familiar with German makers and don't have the right books. There are no other marks on the spoon.

Can anyone identify the maker/retailer for me and where/when they were working?

Many thanks,

Silverk.

[SilverK]

I've had another look at the marks and I think it actually reads 'Janssen & Co', 'Jan' being poorly stamped. I find one Johann Heinrich Albrecht Janssen (1861-1870) actually recorded on the 925-1000 Hamburg page with the mark for H. Janssen & Co, though this is very different to mine. I wonder whether somewhere between 1870 and 1886, the firm renamed itself simply as Janssen & Co and changed the mark. The spoon came with a number of Hamburg spoons, including one with the same dot-inscribed surname, which gives some circumstantial support to this theory.

It doesn't appear to be have been stamped with either the Hamburg city mark, or the crescent moon and crown mark, the latter coming into force in 1886 the exact year of the dot inscription. Perhaps there was some confusion in 1886 as one system ended and another started, and so some pieces ended up not being assayed?

I realize I may have fabricated a completely incorrect story above, but hopefully this will lead to some discussion and eventually more certain information!

[Traintime]

??Tilburg Holland..Dutch Firma Jannsen & Co.: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=37501&p=100877&hilit=firma+jannsen&sid=3e4c89ed4c5b7daf94324d6471b1709c#p100877

Are we looking at silverplate (with no guarantee marks)??

[oel]

Hi, I am not sure what name is on the spoon; janssen x C= but I believe it has nothing to do with the Dutch Fa. Janssen & C0.

Janssen & Co, this firm was specialized in Christian/ Roman Catholic church ornaments and Roman Catholic ecclesiastical silver. Their registered silver & goldsmith maker's mark; +J+ in a hexagon. Registered in the cities of Tilburg and Haarlem, 1899/1922 under the name G.A.D.J.B. van Kalcken ( Fa. Janssen & Co.)

https://www.bhic.nl/ontdekken/verhalen/ ... janssen-co
https://wikimiddenbrabant.nl/Janssen_%26_Co
https://www.flickr.com/photos/paramentica/9454113506/
https://www.regionaalarchieftilburg.nl/ ... 4a050e4e02
Janssen & Co
In 1864, Joachim van Kalken, from Belgium, married Carolina Janssen, the daughter of a beverage merchant on Korvel (Korvelplein) city of Tilburg, Province: North Brabant. In the same year, the couple opened a shop and workshop in ecclesiastical articles under the name of Janssen & Co. It is unknown where the business started, but it was already established in Willem II Street in 1881 and from Stationsstraat in 1889. Janssen & Co sold, manufactured and restored, among other things, banners, church vestments, Stations of the Cross, nativity scenes, church jewelry and statues. The most famous productions by Janssen & Co are the two angels on either side of the main portal of the Heikese church (1895). After Carolina's death (1895), the company was continued by son Gustaaf and daughters Josephina, Maria, Mathilda and Sophia. After Gustaaf's departure (1905), the Van Kalken sisters were put in charge. According to the Tilburg address book of 1948, the company was then still located at 4 Stationsstraat, but according to the trade register Janssen & Co was closed in 1946. The last descendant of this entrepreneurial family died in 1958 with Mathilda.

Peter.