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 American Silver before sterling
 Ball, Tompkins & Black - ID on large forks
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| Author | Topic: Ball, Tompkins & Black - ID on large forks |
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JenC unregistered |
posted 04-20-2004 02:23 PM
 
[01-1468] Hoping to ID these extra large forks which are marked "Ball, Tompkins & Black" along with a large lion motif on the back of the handle. IP: Logged |
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doc Posts: 728 |
posted 04-20-2004 03:31 PM
Ball, Tompkins & Black was a retailer in New York City-they were successors to Marquand & Company. I have seen a variety of different dates for the start of their enterprise, which others may be able to provide greater detail on, but they were in business from the 1840's to 1876. They did not actually manufacture silver-they used other silversmiths such as William Forbes and the Eoffs. The photos did not show this, but in some cases, the maker's initials were also included on the piece with the retailer's mark. IP: Logged |
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Patrick Vyvyan Posts: 640 |
posted 04-20-2004 06:20 PM
Doc is right, the dating for this company is a little fuzzy. Isaac Marquand founded Marquand & Co in 1810. This was succeeded by Ball, Tompkins & Black - I've seen dates as early as 1819, but 1839 seems most commmon. In 1848 the company was located at Broadway 247, New York. There was a daguerrotype studio above. Tompkins presumably left the partnership in 1851 and the company was continued by William Black and Henry Ball as Ball, Black & Co. In the 1860s they moved to a new building at 565-567 Broadway, accross from rival Tiffany. At this time, the Boston silversmith John Rudolf Wendel worked in the top two floors above the shop and sold most of his production through the shop. In 1876, Henry Ball left the partnership and Black was joined by Cortlandt Starr and Aaron Frost to form Black, Starr & Frost. This company is still ging, although relocated to California, and now selling mainly top of the range jewellery. Your forks must therefore be earlier than 1851. IP: Logged |
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doc Posts: 728 |
posted 04-21-2004 08:59 AM
Patrick is correct-I left out a step in the Ball, Black chronology, with the change in 1851. Sorry about that! IP: Logged |
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JenC unregistered |
posted 04-21-2004 10:39 AM
Where would I go to find a more info on these forks? I think my friend has 6-8 of these. They were found hidden in the ceiling rafters of a house in Boston. She thinks they are sterling, I don't. They are quite large, thick and heavy with no "give". IP: Logged |
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JenC unregistered |
posted 04-21-2004 10:47 AM
Wow! I just did a Google search and I am seeing them listed as Coin Silver. Could these be??? There are no other markings other than the lion motif and the Ball, Tompkins & Black name. IP: Logged |
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Patrick Vyvyan Posts: 640 |
posted 04-21-2004 11:13 AM
Your friend's forks are almost cerertainly coin silver (i.e 90% pure silver). In very general terms, sterling (i.e 92.5% silver) began to be introduced in the United States in the 1850s and gradually supplanted the lower coin standard as the century progressed. The forum doesn't offer valuations - but one of the best ways to gain an idea of value is to watch the internet auction sites to see what similar items are making. IP: Logged |
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Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 |
posted 09-06-2010 08:28 AM
3 marks in one, found on a simple coin tray:  IP: Logged |
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