Silver snuff box Dublin 1817 MF

[scorpio]

I recently acquired this silver snuff box dated Dublin 1817 with the maker's mark MF in a rectangular reserve. Silvermakersmarks shows this MF mark on a creamer dated 1824 but with no maker's name shown against it. I cannot trace any other Irish silver with this mark so has anyone any idea as to who he may be?

I've discounted Michael Fowler mentioned in Jackson's (a jug, 1757) as he worked mid 18th century and used M.F rather than MF and it's highly unlikely he was still around as a working silversmith in 1817-1824.

In Irish Georgian Silver, Douglas Bennett mentions a Michael Flanagan, 20 Dorset Street, who registered with the Company of Goldsmiths in 1813 but no registered mark is shown for him so he may have just been a jeweller. He isn't listed in Wilson's 1820 Directory, which is available online. I can't trace anyone else with the initials MF.

Although I'm sure talented silversmiths could turn their hands to making almost anything, box making was rather specialised so it's puzzling to come across a snuff box by an unknown maker.

[scorpio]

Here is the full set of hallmarks, a little sharper than previous images: