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Great People, and some help?

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Author	Topic: Great People, and some help?
BRich Posts: 4 Registered: Mar 2005	posted 03-14-2005 07:37 PM [26-0264] Hello All. This is my first post, but I have been reading for a while. I first wanted to say how terrific it is all the help that is offered to those of us who really have NO idea what we are doing! All of you seem so VER nice! Now, on to my questions. I recently found about a dozen what I believe to be coin silver spoons in a box that belonged to my great grandmother who has been decesed for about 15 years. I know nothing of the history of the spoons, but would love to. They are all "fiddle" spoons, and a few have different hallmarks which I will post in a bit. All but one have what I would call a "punch mark" on the back above the hallmarks, and that is where my questions start-what is this punch mark from? You can see it in the third photo, and they are struck in hard enough to cause a blister on the front of the spoon, and most have a scratched "x" over the punch...any ideas? Now, the first spoon (first pic) is quite a bit heavier than the rest, and has a very strong gold tone. If anyone can tell me ANYTHING about it I would be so grateful. Next, in pic 2, you will see a completely different set of hallmarks, and again, I have no clue! The only thing I THINK I might know is what may be the london assay office "leopards head" on the first, beyond that, if any of you can help me identify, I would greatly appreciate it. I have read the picture post instructions, and believe I have done it correctly, if not I am sure I will be told, and I will try again! Thanks again for your time! IP: Logged
Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 Registered: Apr 93	posted 03-14-2005 08:00 PM Thanks for taking the time to investigate & to become familiar with the forums and also for reviewing how to best post photos. You did great! I thought lightening your third photo might help someone to better see what you are talking about. Once we and you discover what there is to know about your spoons, what will you do? Back to the drawer until your grand kids rediscover them or do you think you might be on the way towards a personal collection? IP: Logged
BRich Posts: 4 Registered: Mar 2005	posted 03-14-2005 09:42 PM I appreciate the effort on your part for working on the picture Scott! Only goes to show what I said earlier is so true, what a great forum filled with great people! Once I find out, I will probably bore all family and freinds with history lessons! I am a collector of many items and can't help but believe that it could TRAGICALLY lead to yet another collection! I am fascinated about the posibilities of the "who could have eaten off this spoon" idea! Hopefully I can get lots of good info or at least a direction to head my search in. I have a couple of other hallmark sets from the same bunch of spoons that I will post later, for now I wanted to not push my luck, and to be sure I was doing it all correctly before going to any additional effort. Thanks again! IP: Logged
wev Moderator Posts: 4121 Registered: Apr 99	posted 03-14-2005 10:03 PM We welcome your enthusiasm. I can only offer that both pieces are English silverplate, not coin silver. IP: Logged
BRich Posts: 4 Registered: Mar 2005	posted 03-14-2005 10:16 PM Hi Wev, and thanks for your reply. A little disappointing, but if you will, please let me know what of the marks tells you that? I am interested to know, thanks! Bill IP: Logged
swarter Moderator Posts: 2920 Registered: May 2003	posted 03-14-2005 10:40 PM The marks on these pieces are Victorian period pseudohallmarks (imitation hallmarks), not true hallmarks. Hallmarks can only be used on Sterling silver in England. Silver platers could not use them. On the second piece illustrated, the letters BP indicate Britannia Plate. Britannia is a hard pewter-like alloy which was used as a base metal for electroplating. The other letters are probably the initials of the manufacturing firm. On the first piece, the symbols are unknown to me, but they cannot be expected to have the same meaning as similar ones on Sterling Silver. If the color is similar to that of gold, it would be from one of the imitation processes that were used to imitate gold. IP: Logged
BRich Posts: 4 Registered: Mar 2005	posted 03-15-2005 11:40 AM Thanks so much for the info swarter! I would still be very interested to know if anyone else has any other info about the marks. Thanks again! IP: Logged

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