posted 03-20-2003 01:41 AM            

I doubt that they have any great value and I could just sell them as 19th century German or Northern European - but I'm a researcher at heart and want to know what they are. Hopefully someone can help me a bit.

The first piece is 5-1/8" long, acanthus design at top, the marks are on the front, a crown, IC. or TC. in rectangle, something that looks to me like a keg with wings and beer or wine spouting from the top (I could be hallucinating), and a 13 (old loth measure). The back is plain, but does have a weird engraved symbol (not sure if it's right-side up or not).

The next one is 6-1/8" long, simple oval, engraved G.B. 1832, has an engraved V where the drop would normally be. The marks are worn, appear to be a figure with a 1 on one side and 9 on the other, and a script FL(?) in a rectangle.

The next piece is a serving spoon (9-1/8") that matches the above piece. All details are the same except for the marks. Has a long assay test scratch (isn't there a special name for that?), an A in circle, bear w/K (19th century Berlin), and SCHARTE.

The last is my favorite - quite worn and fairly beat-up, but very appealing to me. It's 4-7/8" long, engraved with a four-petalled flower, some tiny designs that I believe were part of a worn-off wriggle work pattern, an old style monogram (weren't these usually for a marriage?) that has a barely visible wriggle oval around it. No marks, rounded drop on the bowl.

Sorry if I rambled! It's late, I'm getting punchy, and the news reports are disturbing.

Thanks in advance for any information offered!

Cheryl

posted 03-22-2003 03:47 PM              

I found some information on the 3rd spoon. The bear is the town mark for Berlin - you are right. The K next to the bear is the assayers mark (Aeltermannbuchstabe) for the period between 1821 and 1850. The A in the circle is the second assayers mark for the period between 1821 and 1841. The zig zag line in German is Tremolierstrich (speak slowly when trying). And last SCHARTE is the makers mark but I have no further information about this maker.

The second spoon I suppose to be German as well. The mark is not very clear, but in case the spoon has been polished very much the mark could be the rest for the Munich town mark of 1819. "Fl" possibly will be the makers mark. The last spoon I would date around 1800 or earlier. I have seen those monograms before on older spoons.

The first spoon - I a sure - is not German. The hallmarks are not typical German. I hope I could help you!

All the best,
Bert

posted 03-22-2003 08:59 PM            

Tremolierstrich? I said it slowly, and think I have it. Feel sure that there's a name for it in English, in the mean time, the German name is my fun word for the day!LOL Had a boyfriend from Konstanz who for some reason found it very entertaining to hear me say German words. Almost wish we'd been together longer, so I could have actually picked up part of the language (to add to my very tiny bits and pieces of French and Spanish).

posted 03-22-2003 10:04 PM            

• Scrape mark or diet - A gouged line (often a zig-zag line) where a portion of silver has been removed for the purpose of an assay to test its quality. Sometimes these lines are later polished away, but they are often seen intact, especially on articles of Continental manufacture.

posted 03-23-2003 05:10 PM            

In looking at the town mark in Tardy's, appears to be some sort of flaming keg or barrel, must be the old bartender in me that saw a spout of liquid refreshment.

posted 05-18-2005 12:35 AM            

"IC", the maker of the Kokkola, Finland spoon, is Johan Niclas Chorin, working 1828-1871, so the 1866 date makes more sense. And it is a burning barrel, but of tar, not liquor. (Why let a good thing go up in flames?) Tar trading was one of the town's primary industries, represented on its civic arms since 1620.

The second spoon was German when it was made but would now be considered Polish. The guild mark - a griffin's head - is that of the Pomeranian city of Szczecin [German: Stettin] flanked by the fineness: 12, for 12 Löt or .750 silver. The maker - FL, in script - is Friedrich David Gottlieb Luckwaldt (1796-1865), Master 1817. This "lancet" style spoon probably dates from the 2nd quarter of the 19th Century.

posted 05-18-2005 01:51 PM            

The last unmarked spoon is in my collection, and while worn and beat-up, it's naive quality still charms me.