posted 01-09-2009 01:31 PM            

Here is a fairly recent purchase. At first glance, from the front, I would say it is an English teaspoon. This bright-cut design, with the oval reserve set down from the tip, is unusual in American silver but pretty common in English. However, it is a bird-back, more common in American silver than English. Also, it has a single maker's mark set down near the bowl, not the top marking you would expect on an English spoon of the late George III period. The mark is rubbed, but even so you can tell that the style of the letters is crude in comparison to most English maker's marks. As to the actual mark, my best guess is P (or B or R) G ? It is a complete guess, but none of the listed known bird-back makers seems to fit.

Then again, maybe it is Provincial English or Irish?

Any ideas?

posted 01-09-2009 07:11 PM            

On balance it seems to me unlikely that a provincial English silversmith (or, indeed a London one)had access to a rare die for the birdback and was receiving a detailed enough order from America to adjust the decoration of the spoon so as to leave room for a different style of initialing.

posted 01-14-2009 10:48 AM            

That said, the point about picture back and bright cutting on the same spoon is well taken, and not something I had thought of before. The spoon is a bit light for English, though I have encountered some lightweight English spoons in my time.

Still, the engraving style is unusual for the US. Perhaps it was the work of a recent immigrant craftsman?

Thanks again,

posted 01-14-2009 07:58 PM            

I too saw the "bird back" billed as early US and after a few seconds of gum chewing decided that double silver plate AA circa 1930 with a die struck bird and machine engraving explained it. I hope nothing was spent on it, I did not follow it.