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IMANS on Viking ship

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Author	Topic: IMANS on Viking ship
epona Posts: 3 Registered: Jan 2006	posted 01-15-2006 05:33 PM [26-0872] Hello - I've been collecting and researching Viking ship salt cellars (I have over 30, about half are pewter, the rest are various grades of silver). It's been an interesting learning experience researching the silver ones and what all the markings mean. I've researched most of the makers marks, but have been unsuccessful with this one (yes I searched the archives here, as well as many other sources). There is a dot between the N and the S. This ship appears to be silverplated. A book I have shows a picture of a very similar ship, but that one is said to be sterling and hallmarked Sweden (no picture in the book of its markings). Any help is appreciated. Thanks! IP: Logged
Dale Posts: 2132 Registered: Nov 2002	posted 01-15-2006 11:12 PM The mark would be a familiar plated one if the letters PR were before it. Then it would read: Prima N S, which approximates a fairly standard Swedish plate mark. This is an interesting question. I don't have an answer. Some one else may though. IP: Logged
Kimo Posts: 1627 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 01-17-2006 09:14 AM I don't know the answer, but a guess is that there are three marks rather than one here. First the I, then the MA, then the NS. I'm guessing this since the MA is smaller and with an underline, and the NS has the dot between them. Normally when I see an NS it stands for Nickel Silver which of course has no silver in it - it is either an alloy used by itself to imitate silver, or it can be electroplated with silver when you see the marking EPNS. The I and MA then might be the maker? IP: Logged
epona Posts: 3 Registered: Jan 2006	posted 01-18-2006 10:34 PM Thanks for the responses, Dale and Kimo. I believe the MA underlined means something, also. I've guessed either 3 marks, like Dale (I, MA, and NS), or perhaps two (IMAN and S). S might be for silverplate? Or to make someone think it's sterling? The only MA I know of is Magnus Aase, but he's from Norway, and according to the book I had, the sterling version is marked Sweden, so that doesn't make sense to me (plus the MA is not in a form I've seen for Mangus Aase). The ship is definitely plated - there are corrosion spots where a base metal shows through (corrosion can be common for salt cellars if they were used as such, that's why many silver ones have glass liners). The outer metal tarnishes like my other silver ships, and cleans up like them also. This mark really has me puzzled!! Any idea where to point me for more research? Thanks! IP: Logged
dragonflywink Posts: 993 Registered: Dec 2002	posted 01-19-2006 04:08 AM I also collect Viking ships, including about 20 salts, and have this same piece with the original cobalt glass liner and spoon with ship finial, also silverplate. My salt is marked simply PRIMA NYSILVER with "Nysilver" or "NS" indicating plated alpaca (64%copper, 24%zinc, 12% nickel), "Prima", according to one source, indicates at least 20 grams plating, with "Extra Prima" at least 40 grams, "60" added on more heavily plated items. Believe these marks came into use during the 1950s. The matching spoon (same as the one pictured in H&J's 5000 Open Salts) is marked C.G.H. I:MA ALP, with "C.G.H." for Stockholm maker C.G.Hallberg, "ALP" for Alpaca, and that same odd "I:MA" seemingly having to do with "Prima". Cheryl ;o) IP: Logged
epona Posts: 3 Registered: Jan 2006	posted 01-19-2006 10:11 PM Cheryl Thank you so much!! It's nice to meet another Viking ship collector, I have only 'met' (on computer) a few so far. I have been cataloging my collection, and researching to find how many different viking ships and versions are out there. Not sure if it's appropriate to post the website here, but it's on my profile (no selling, just info). I:MA and I_MA_ seem to be strange ways for abbreviating 'Prima', if indeed that's what they stand for. Does your spoon appear to be silverplated? The ship in H&J is noted as circa 1937, which would be before those marks if they only came into use in the 1950's. H&J also says it's sterling, and hallmarked Sweden (no pic of the marks, darn). That could well be true, though, since I've found several viking ships made in both silver, and plated or alpaca versions. Yours is the first non-sterling spoon I've heard of, though. H&J's, my ship, and two other pictures I've seen all have clear glass liners, but I have seen others with both a clear and a cobalt liner version, so that's not unusual either. I'd love to 'talk' viking ships with you, but it might be getting a bit off topic for this forum - may we continue by email? Many thanks again for the help! IP: Logged
dragonflywink Posts: 993 Registered: Dec 2002	posted 01-20-2006 02:51 AM Sure, my profile has my email, feel free to contact me. Cheryl IP: Logged
Dale Posts: 2132 Registered: Nov 2002	posted 01-21-2006 01:53 PM Viking boats I have seen. There are quite a few in silver, both plate and solid, as well as pewter, tin, brass, bronze, ceramics and glass. The neatest one I ever saw was a chandelier viking boat. It was large, from a Sons of Norway Hall. The lone metal boat had arms coming out of the shields along the sides. Totally wonderful. IP: Logged

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