E M - c.1740's spoon

Post by **Granmaa** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:29 am

An excellent idea, Clive/Trev/both?
A quick search for "lost" in the British section will come up with a few. I'll begin posting my candidates gradually.
I start with this recent post which looks like EM with some design above it. Not a complete mark but distinct enough, I think, to be recognised. It features the 1739-1755 lion.

Miles

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Post by **dognose** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 12:31 pm

Hi Miles,

The work is completely Clive's and it is he that deserves all the credit for not only the idea, but also how, hopefully, this section will evolve into the first real public study of this long awaited subject.

In the longer term the fruits of this section will provide another chapter in the British Hallmarks section of the 925-1000 Encyclopedia.

Regards Trev.
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buckler · Post by **buckler** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 5:55 am

I am very impressed that you can find EM in the mark !
But could it be BM ?

The design of the top very much reminds me of the mark on a pair of buckles that have puzzled me for some time. The buckles date to around 1775 but with a mark more characteristic of the period of this spoon. No assay marks on them but I am 99 % sure these are English. Since they are of a slightly unusual pattern also seen with Benjamin Mordecai/Montigue's BM mark, I suspect they may be another of Benjamin's reversed marks. One is recorded by Grimwade as the only reversed mark known to him.
Our Benjamin is known to have had marks earlier than the one of 1770 given in Grimwade, since he appears in the broken plate book at Goldsmiths Hall in the 1763 -1769 period - with a parcel of substandard buckles ! Substandard silver seems to have been one of his specialities as he leads the PR 1773 list of broken plate 1766 -1772 at a massive 98 lbs. Bucklemakers were traditionally regarded as rogues - often with good reason.

I doubt if the Benjamin Montigue who probably ceased trading in the late 1790's marked this spoon - unless he lived a very long time - but perhaps his father ???

Pure speculation of course !

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Post by **Granmaa** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 4:08 pm

I cleaned the mark up a bit, and now I'm sure the first letter is an E, and the second letter can surely only be an M. The design at the top has five radiating lines.

Miles
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buckler · Post by **buckler** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 4:22 pm

Thanks.
Pity that facts oft-time get in the way of good theories !
Clive
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