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Perplexing periods & puzzling pellets

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Author	Topic: Perplexing periods & puzzling pellets
cbc58 Posts: 333 Registered: Aug 2008	posted 12-12-2021 10:12 AM Is it possible, or likely, or proven, that some silversmiths put pellets and/or periods in their marks, and then removed them at other times when new dies were made? I have seen some marks that look like they are identical with the exception of a pellet or period. Some competing reference books seem to show these differences, but that may just have been from taking information from another source and assuming it is accurate. Curious if this is a documented thing or if marks have to match up EXACTLY to confirm a maker. IP: Logged
cbc58 Posts: 333 Registered: Aug 2008	posted 12-14-2021 10:40 AM After doing some detailed searching, I'm going to answer my own question: yes some makers changed their marks to include or remove pellets or periods. Not sure why they did that and it doesn't make the job of trying to identify a maker any easier. The undocumented attributions are the stickler and open to personal interpretation based on experience and desire to come to a specific conclusion. It also appears that some silversmiths may have changed the outline of their marks from straight-sided to serrated-sided. [This message has been edited by cbc58 (edited 12-14-2021).] IP: Logged
ahwt Posts: 2334 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 12-14-2021 06:44 PM If you have not already looked at McGrew's book he has an interesting section on marks including the mechanics of marking silver, recycling of dies and the wear of dies. It is clear that the making of a die took special skills and as you suggest they were often reworked to begin life anew. I assume the dies were cast, but I really have not found a good source for how they were made. [This message has been edited by ahwt (edited 12-14-2021).] IP: Logged
Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 Registered: Apr 93	posted 12-14-2021 11:57 PM It took sometime to look through the archives but I finally found what I was looking for. This is a video that will help to explain the making of a die for striking a mark. Mark Making - Basil & Mary Walker (1993) IP: Logged
wev Moderator Posts: 4121 Registered: Apr 99	posted 12-15-2021 12:32 AM In the pre-incuse days, this was only the first half of the making. The finished drive -- right reading -- would then be driven into a soft steel blank. The blank would then be dressed to make the required cartouche shape and hardened. This was the finished punch delivered to the smith. It was exactly how printing type punches and casting molds were made. There was the obvious advantage in the older way. You did not need to cut the name in one. You could -- carefully -- punch out each letter from a standing alphabet of punches. I suspect, if the old type house documents still existed, there would be a record of orders filled that would eliminate much guess work in the transition of marks. IP: Logged
wev Moderator Posts: 4121 Registered: Apr 99	posted 12-15-2021 12:39 AM quote: Originally posted by wev: In the pre-incuse days, this was only the first half of the making. The finished drive -- right reading -- would then be driven into a soft steel blank. The blank would then be dressed to make the required cartouche shape and hardened. This was the finished punch delivered to the smith. It was exactly how printing type punches and casting molds were made. There was the obvious advantage in the older way. You did not need to cut the name in one. You could -- carefully -- punch out each letter from a standing alphabet of punches, which any of the major houses like Bruce or McKellar would have had in abundance. I suspect, if the old type house documents still existed, there would be a record of orders filled that would eliminate much guess work in the transition of marks. IP: Logged

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