antique snuff box, hallmark unknown. Please help

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antique snuff box, hallmark unknown. Please help

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Author	Topic: antique snuff box, hallmark unknown. Please help
suomoo Posts: 40 Registered: Jan 2005	posted 03-11-2005 10:00 AM [26-0198] Hello, I just purchased a nice snuff box for my collection. Unfortunately I have cannot identify the hallmark. It is a capital letter A which upper part is in the shape of bird with spreading wings. left of that there is a small number or letter. (B, 8 or 3) I hope the photos will show what I mean. Many thanks for all your help. Patrick IP: Logged
blakstone Posts: 493 Registered: Jul 2004	posted 03-11-2005 11:24 AM The mark you show was used in the Austro-Hungarian Empire to mark imported items of silver between 1902 and 1922. The letter indicated the office repsonsible for marking it, in this case "B" was the office in Neustadt, Austria. Unfortunately, since this is an import mark, it doesn't tell you anything about where the item was actually made. It certainly looks German to me, though, or - less likely - Dutch. Are there any other marks on it? IP: Logged
suomoo Posts: 40 Registered: Jan 2005	posted 03-11-2005 11:52 AM Hello Blakstone, Thanks for the swift reply. I have taken a close look at the box but it has not other markings than this one. Could you or anyone tell me the approx. age of the box. I have enclosed more photos. Size is 7cm wide and 2 cm high. Weight is much approx 100 gramms; which made me doubt if it is silver and not plated. Many thanks again, Patrick. IP: Logged
sazikov2000 Posts: 254 Registered: Jan 2005	posted 03-16-2005 01:38 PM suomoo- please look very carefully for other marks or stamps again, sometimes they are very tiny. This kind of snuffboxes bear the maker�s - and/or silversmith�s mark often on the small rim between the bottom- and the upper part.(your foto No.3 looks like there is something).I hope the box is in your hands! The "Austro-Hungarians" did not give their import stamp to a nonsilver or anonym product! And this snuffbox is nice - so please look again, I am very curious! Sazikov2000 [This message has been edited by sazikov2000 (edited 03-16-2005).] IP: Logged
blakstone Posts: 493 Registered: Jul 2004	posted 03-16-2005 03:25 PM Sazikov2000 pointed out to me in another post that I am in error: B was the letter for the Linz office; Neustadt was A1. He is correct that this mark would not have been applied to a plated item: this mark guaranteed at least the minimum Austrian fineness of .750. (I have, however, seen it before on otherwise unmarked items.) As for dating it, stylistically I would say late 19th - early 20th century, so I see no reason that it would not date from the time of the mark on it: 1901-1922. (I concede it could be a little earlier, but I doubt by much.) IP: Logged
sazikov2000 Posts: 254 Registered: Jan 2005	posted 03-16-2005 03:55 PM blakstone- thank you for your answer! I am always curious if someone has better sources and I want to know for sure. I am very thankful for the many first class informations I got from you personally and by your contributions, which are a pleasure to read and I do not want to correct you in any way. I only want to learn what I do not know. And please be sure - I learned a lot from you already!! Sazikov 2000 IP: Logged
suomoo Posts: 40 Registered: Jan 2005	posted 03-24-2005 06:29 PM Thanks for all the replies. I have been away for a while and therefor this late respons. I have examined the box more careful and have found no other hallmarks than the import mark. The mark on photo 3 is also an import mark (half struck) Again many thanks to blakstone and sazikov2000 for the great help. Patrick IP: Logged

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