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Use of "Saxon" ampersand.

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Author	Topic: Use of "Saxon" ampersand.
Leo Passant Posts: 24 Registered: Dec 2005	posted 01-11-2006 10:12 PM Apparently it wasn't uncommon for some Scottish workers to use a "Saxon" ampersand (as opposed to the more familiar Roman ampersand) in the makers' mark, between the initials of joint makers. The version used by silver workers more resembles a "V" or "U" with trailing elements while the true Saxon ampersand more resembles the figure "7". Does anyone have any comment on the origins of this unusual ampersand and why it was used, or any links to information relating to the use of this mark? I own an egg spoon with the initials G&M (where the Roman ampersand is replaced by the "Saxon" ampersand). A picture of it can be seen here: Does anyone recognise the mark G&M, or can anyone please shed any light on the series of marks in general? Why no date mark? I've seen other spoons with the exact same town mark which were attributed to Edinburgh; however I can not find any Edinburgh mark in my little book that exactly resembles that on my spoon. The Edinburgh town mark for 1797 and 1798 is the closest I can come up with. I assume the egg spoon is Scottish as it has a Celtic Point handle. IP: Logged
tmockait Posts: 963 Registered: Jul 2004	posted 01-11-2006 11:15 PM Leo, Any chance the mark if for Exeter. I find the two hard to distinguish some times. Also, we had a lively discussion on the conntinental forum over use of the term "egg spoon." It seems most of what are passed off as "egg spoons" in Russian silver sales are really teaspoons. What exactly is the difference between egg and tea spoons in Britain? Tom IP: Logged
Leo Passant Posts: 24 Registered: Dec 2005	posted 01-11-2006 11:42 PM Funny you should say Exeter; I did think the mark resembled the town mark of Exeter of the exact same years (1797/98), but I was drawn to Edinburgh simply because of the Celtic Point. Growing up in a fairly proper household, I was scolded by one of my grandmother's cooks for taking a teaspoon out of a drawer to eat my (very early) breakfast in the kitchen. I was told to use a proper egg spoon (with the rounded bowl) else how could I possibly retrieve the last morsels of egg from the bottom of the shell. Please bear in mind, our family followed the Emperor's edict to the letter! I suppose if you were "big-endian" then you may easily confuse your egg spoons with teaspoons! IP: Logged
doc Posts: 730 Registered: Jul 2003	posted 01-12-2006 09:56 AM Real egg spoons have ovoid (egg!) shaped bowls that are rounded at the bottom and narrow towards the top, to better be able to scoop out the egg. I, too, grew up in a household where the egg spoon ruled the breakfast table! IP: Logged
tmockait Posts: 963 Registered: Jul 2004	posted 01-12-2006 02:20 PM I grew up in a "lick and retain" household. One spoon fits all and save it for dessert. This custom did not serve me well with my mother-in-law (an American of Scots-Canadian ancestory going back to Highlands via Cape Breton)when I was courting my wife! Thanks for the clarification, Tom [This message has been edited by tmockait (edited 01-12-2006).] IP: Logged
Clive E Taylor Posts: 450 Registered: Jul 2000	posted 01-12-2006 04:53 PM The Duty mark is the Tricuspid George of 1797, which was used only in that year in at all or most of the English assay offices and at Edinburgh alone in Scotland. It was used by Edinburgh only for some years after that. As the punch was altered to the tricuspid by filing a small nick in three sides in the existing punches I suspect that Edinburgh refused to buy a new set ! They also used a George Head well into the reign of Queen Victoria IP: Logged
Leo Passant Posts: 24 Registered: Dec 2005	posted 01-12-2006 05:09 PM Clive, what can I say! That's the sort of valuable information that seems to be known by few and is imensely helpful to others. Many thanks. IP: Logged

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