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help with ID of a hallmark

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Author	Topic: help with ID of a hallmark
metricus Posts: 5 Registered: Jan 2007	posted 01-08-2007 02:22 PM [26-1303] Here is a picture of the Hallmark from the back of the forks. Also to mention that the knives have stainless steel blades with the German inscription for stainless steel: "ROSTFREI". In the attached picture the number 139 is variable, each fork having its own number. The number 38 however is common to all units and is also found on the knife's handle. Some serving pieces (bottom) as well as the knives have the rectangle stamp with the number 800 in it. IP: Logged
metricus Posts: 5 Registered: Jan 2007	posted 01-08-2007 02:57 PM I forgot to mention that the set was purchased in Romania around 1940s from private owners. Also: a picture of some samples maybe it helps with the ID IP: Logged
Kimo Posts: 1627 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 01-09-2007 03:28 PM Welcome to the forum Metricus. If you click on the link near the top of the page that says "Please Read Before You Post" it asks new members here to please share something about their interest in silver and their particular interest in learning about the objects they are asking about. If you add this information to your post I am sure you will get some helpful responses to your questions. By the way, your photos are well done. IP: Logged
metricus Posts: 5 Registered: Jan 2007	posted 01-09-2007 04:39 PM Thanks for the compliments. I don't know why they came out blue though... They served the purpose so I did not bother further. In terms of my interest: It's simple. I have this set from my grandfather who as I mentioned purchased them apparently later than my initial information. The set is scattered however between my aunts and uncles and I was wondering if it would be worth reassembling it as I would presume that it is more valuable complete than 6 pieces here other 6 there etc. I have several more items from him like some chandeliers and a tea set which I believe have the same manufacturer or country of origin as they have the same crown with the letter P under it. I searched a lot on the net these markings but could not find anything. My logic is as follows: 1: since they have pretty high quality polished stainless steel blades they cannot be too old. They seem to follow the German standard for marking as they use the 800 number so they cannot be french, english austrian. Italian stuff also used the 800 marking but the blade is made in Germany so I doubt they are Italian. They are obviously not German since they do not have the half-moon and crown. Since Romania had a German monarchy until the Comunists came and many of the craftsmen in the country at the time were German I am tempted to thing that it was in fact made in Romania by German silversmiths. If so I wonder how I can find out who made them and when. Could the number 38 mean 1938? There...that's all. IP: Logged
tmockait Posts: 963 Registered: Jul 2004	posted 01-09-2007 09:01 PM Hello and welcome to the forum. Based on Tarday (International Hallmarks on Silver), which is not the best source for Eastern and Central Europe, the mark appears to be that for 1949, 800 purity silver. However, the shield within which the crown is set for this type of mark should contain indentations. I cannot make these out from your phot nor can I tell what number or letter is under the crown (10 or A?). This information is important. The bird appears to be the maker's mark, but I don't have a resource for Rumanian silversmiths and their marks. Your educated guess about a German maker in Romanian seems, historically at least, sound, but not because of the monarchy. Transylvania was part of the old Hapsburg military frontier and retained much of its German population when the territory passed to Romania after WWI. Many fled at the end of WWII. Brasov was once Konnigsburg and so on. It may also be the case that the blades were simply imported from Germany as you success. I cannot identify the star within the crescent moon. Best of luck, Tom IP: Logged
metricus Posts: 5 Registered: Jan 2007	posted 01-10-2007 05:47 AM My take is that the letter under the crown is a P as I can see from other forks. There are also two lines just above the crown on the left side of it above the second "jewel" counting from left. These seem to be consistent in all forks. I don't know if these are the indentations you are talking about. The star with crescent and moon is also strange but it is on a fish knife from the same set. Here are two more photos from 2 different forks that I enhanced in order to better see the marking. I will attempt to verify by daylight if other items display a better marking to clarify the letter. IP: Logged
tmockait Posts: 963 Registered: Jul 2004	posted 01-10-2007 06:11 PM The lines are sometimes grooves opening outward. The placement of the two lines in your piece pretty much confirms it as 800 silver. To the best of my knowledge, there is no "P" mark for Romanian silver of this period. The "A" with one, two, or three lines is the purity mark 950, 800, and 750 silver respectively for 1937-49. The "10" indicates post 1949. My best guess, is that the mark is a stylized "A" partly effaced. However, as I said, my source is not the best for Central and Eastern Europe. I look forward to what others may make of these very interesting marks. Tom IP: Logged

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