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 SMP Silver Salon Forums
 American Silver before sterling
 Drummond- unknown mark
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| Author | Topic: Drummond- unknown mark |
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Fitzhugh Posts: 136 |
posted 07-18-2005 05:53 PM
  
Has anyone referenced a smith by the name of Drummond? A friend just purchased an interested piece with that mark. Thanks. IP: Logged |
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Silver Lyon Posts: 363 |
posted 07-18-2005 06:09 PM
What is the mark struck upon? When (approx) was it made? Are there any other markings/engraving? More input required, please. IP: Logged |
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Fitzhugh Posts: 136 |
posted 07-18-2005 06:14 PM
Our moderator just received some images to post for us. This is on a coin silver spool holder, likely ca. 1830 by my guess. It's an incised mark, but the item itself seems of this earlier vintage, perhaps 1840's. IP: Logged |
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wev Moderator Posts: 4121 |
posted 07-18-2005 06:34 PM
Here are the images: A handsome and curious piece. IP: Logged |
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Silver Lyon Posts: 363 |
posted 09-09-2005 01:37 PM
I think that your spool holder was made in Australia by the firm of William Drummond & Co. The engraved decoration is typical of decoration used by this leading manufacturer and it is common to find his name struck in full. Willam Drummond & Co. was formed from the partnership of Samuel Brush and William Drummond on Brush's retirement from business in 1884. They had a massive retail shop in Collins Street, Melbourne and were the 'Garrard' of Australia. WD had arrived in Australia in about 1860 and worked on his own as a freelance journeyman (not as a principal with a mark)before linking up with Brush c.1870. Hope this helps! IP: Logged |
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Fitzhugh Posts: 136 |
posted 09-13-2005 03:01 PM
Interesting theory, but I am not familiar with Australian silver at all. Was this a silversmithing firm you are talking about? It is coin grade silver, not sterling, and I can't imagine even in Australia their not using sterling silver and hallmarking as such by the 1880's. The decoration is not stamped on, either, so again I'd be shocked at a firm "down under" hand decorating something like this in the late Victorian era. The design itself doesn't seem to match that time period, either. Other comments would still be appreciated! IP: Logged |
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Ulysses Dietz Moderator Posts: 1265 |
posted 09-14-2005 09:36 AM
I'd say that the design is just right for the 1880s; it certainly reflects earlier modes of engraving, but it does not look neoclassical, because of the density and "fussiness" of the design. I am clueless as to the use of coin versus sterling in Australia...but it would seem to me that Australia, being even farther from Mother England than the USA, would have used coin even LONGER than the USA did. The USA only switched over to sterling because of marketing pressure from aggressive silver producers like Tiffany. Australia has always been culturally linked to England, but also buffered by its vast distance away. I was just amazed anyone knew anything about Australian silver. IP: Logged |
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Silver Lyon Posts: 363 |
posted 09-14-2005 02:58 PM
There is an established colonial silversmithing craft in Australia by the 1820s. Learning some lessons from their experience with the American colonies, the British Government took the view that it was important for Australia to develop its own institutions (and taxation!) while still keeping its ties to the 'motherland'. This approach worked rather better, you will observe. It is very clever of you to be able to tell the difference between sterling purity and coin purity by eye - I can't do it after 35 years of trying Australian silver is essentially like all colonial silver and tries to be sterling but is often (particularly on smaller pieces where nobody might notice the difference!) less. In Adelaide most of the customers were of German origin and used to .800. For an example of the workmanship available see the recent posting by Scott in the General Forum - William Kerr is far from one of the main or best players! P/s Drummonds were known locally as 'the Garrards of Australia' - they had a large silver and jewellery workshop of their own in addition to retailing both imported and locally made pieces by other makers. IP: Logged |
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Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 |
posted 07-22-2018 12:05 PM
 IP: Logged |
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(although the funny alloys used in various places [such as zinc in place of copper as a whitener]do make for readily identifiable 'colours').