posted 09-17-2005 10:26 PM            

Hi,

I have looked all over to see if I could figure out who Lund from Norway is that made this beautiful silver filigree bracelet(with a bit of a gold wash).

It's marked Norway 830s (backwards s) for old standard for silver content and the makers mark is in a rectangle with an initial that can't be read, followed by a period . followed by LUND (almost double stamped).

Any idea who this jeweler is ~ the work is beautiful! Have looked but found nada, zilcho, zip

Truly appreciate any help identifying the jeweler and if possible dates of operation ~ kinda thinking this is early to mid 1900s.

Thanks! United

posted 09-17-2005 11:50 PM            

The bracelet appears to be in a traditional style and design. It could have been made during a very long period of time. The designation 'Norway' probably indicates that this was destined for export, most likely to the US.

posted 09-18-2005 03:54 PM            

Interesting that putting Norway would put it possibly as an export piece, but it's quite possible that it was purchased here in the States instead of Norway.

posted 09-20-2005 02:16 PM            

Had some help from someone in Sweden who said...

"Silversmith: Raymond Wilhelm Lund 1980, he stamps :W.Lund.
The "Norway" stamp began 1945.

But the backwards s indicates thet something is strange with it. Why is it backwards? Maybe it isn't Silver, just plated? It happens sometimes the stamp gets upside down.
But mirrored? Very unusual.

I don't think I will get more info on it."

I haven't been able to find any more like dates of operation or location in Norway or any info by doing an Internet search...

so it's possible that the mark is for this jeweler instead of a city mark.

Just a little less clueless... united

posted 09-20-2005 02:18 PM            

wish I could read that initial?

posted 09-20-2005 02:43 PM            

In the Midwest there are shops like this for almost every immigrant group.Such stores do not have much of a profile outside their communities. And for their clients, the maker is probably not as important as being made in the ancestral land. So, I would suggest, it is entirely possible that this was sold in such a fashion. To a buyer more concerned with country of origin and style than maker.

Which makes our identification struggles much more difficult. Lund could easily be someone's export mark, a mark not used in Norway. And to make it even more complicated, it could be the exporter's mark, not that of the smith. Cooperatives are a feature of life in Skandanavia. Orrefors and Kost Boda work that way. The main feature is a great many artisans pool their product into one brand name for sale. Which Lund might be.

It strikes me as entirely plausible that Lund was an export firm, or even a US import firm, that solicited Norwegian makers to produce under this name.

European silver found in the US can have a very complicated history. One which requires a great deal of unraveling. This may be something brought back by a tourist. It may be a piece by a minor smith who sold through his cousin's jewelry store in Iowa. It may be something made up for an importer as part of a general line of Norwegian traditional merchandise. We just don't know at this point.

posted 09-20-2005 03:50 PM            

Very interesting about the design/region/country being the driving force for (tourist/souvenir) buyers instead of designer name which seems to be all the rage at the moment for rhinestone costume jewelry.

For now, I'm afraid the maker will remain a mystery unless my Swedish friend can dig up more on the silversmith Lund that is verifiable.

I would probably date this to mid 1900s because of the Norway mark from what's been discussed and think that the design is somewhat usual for the early to mid-1900s, certainly before the wild mod designs that developed in the 50's that I've come to love

This bracelet reminds me of a similar forget-me-not bracelet dh gave me while we were engaged... so they'll stay nestled together in my little keepsake box.

posted 09-21-2005 01:55 PM            

Raymond Wilhelm Lund 1980, he stamps :W.Lund.
He is a silversmith from Rykkin, Norway. Still don't know dates of operation.

The person from Sweden pointed out that a S upside down still looks like an S so the mark we see is a mirrored S or perhaps a 2 and not the normal .830s or .925s for silver.

Although the bracelet is definitely silvertone in color, fairly hard and has a light goldtone wash, it's possible that it has more nikle content and is not really silver.

Dunno. don't think I'll bother to have it tested.

Thanks again for all your help ~ Cheers, united

posted 09-21-2005 02:31 PM            

As for the mirrored S, it is, as somebody suggested, merely a mistake. Such errors befell even the greatest companies see: backwards/up-side-down on spoons with old mark??.

posted 09-21-2005 04:19 PM            

read those other threads you posted. very interesting... so, will consider the backwards s to be a mistake.

have another question but will post it separately since it's not really related.

posted 10-27-2005 07:45 AM            

On the subject of incorrect spelling: it often happens when a painter puts down his name in capital letters, that the name is misspelled. So if painters do it, and we do it, then surely silversmiths are doing it!

posted 11-04-2005 12:27 AM            

I'm wondering about the date. If it was imported into the US then anything after about 1916-17 had to include "made in" along with the country. If jewelry followed the same import rules as everything else (and I assume it did, but do not know for certain) then if it was mid twentieth century it would be stamped Made in Norway. If it was imported into the US to sell here and only had the word Norway it should be dated between about 1891-1917. Before 1891 the US didn't require any such declarations although some countries did it anyway.