Thai coffee pot with maker/retail mark?

[SilverK]

I would be most grateful if someone on the forum could give me more information about this coffee pot and identify the maker/retailer.

I believe it to be Thai, ca. 1900. It seems to have some Chinese influence, especially with the prunus and bamboo foliage, so I think it may have been made by a Chinese silversmith who had moved to Siam, probably Bangkok, as many did at that time.

I'm aware that very little Thai silver has maker/retailer marks, and even those are not well recorded. So, since the base has a readable mark: 'B bullet H', and what I would think are Chinese characters, is this a Chinese maker/retailer? If so, who might it be?

Testing shows that this is made from very pure silver, certainly better than Sterling.

I look forward to any response!

Many thanks, as always,

Silverk.

[Ag999]

Very unusual. Yes, the designs (the human figures anyway, even though they are not formal Thai deities) could be Thai, with Chinese influence in the foliage, as you suggest. But the unusual markings make me wonder if it might perhaps be Cambodian (or even something else), since English writing/initials are rare on old Thai silver. Usually, Chinese silversmiths in Thailand would mark their pieces with Thai writing and Chinese characters.
If the other side has different figures, maybe you could show a photo of that?
Meanwhile I will keep thinking about it.

[Ag999]

For now, I think I will say Chinese export silver (late 19th-early 20th C), with a Southeast Asian look in the figures. Chinese export silver was often marked with one or more Chinese characters, plus double-letter English initials. But I cannot find who "BH" might be.
Maybe Adrien von Ferscht will see this and comment.

[SilverK]

Thanks very much indeed for your comments, Ag999. I do think it is South East Asian as you say, it's just how far south! I couldn't find a Chinese retailer with the initials "BH" either when I looked. I've attached a picture of the other side of the pot. Unfortunately, as it is decorated mainly with more foliage and another bird, I'm not sure it adds anything.

[shikiamondo]

Hello there,

It is a Chinese export silver artisan mark 寶興 (Bo Hing in Cantonese) hence the initials 'BH', it appears they either export to Thai/Cambodia from Canton or the Chinese silversmith worked in Thailand, which is pretty common in the 19th-20th century.

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[SilverK]

Hi shikiamondo,

Thanks very much for that information, which is very helpful.

Best regards,

Silverk.