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Dear Martine Many thanks for your reply and apologies for not getting back sooner - I was away on holiday for a fortnight. The piece is definitely silver not plate. I agree though that the decoration looks like it could be later in the 19th century. I will try to get a better picture of the other ma...

[quote]Interesting - but the letters do look Cyrillic - could it be a Russian working in France? N.[/quote]

[quote]Dear Tom and Athos - Thank you for getting back so quickly and apologies for the giant image (I'll try next time to reduce it a bit). I'm away on holiday for the next couple of weeks but will try to check out some of the marks when I return to see if we can narrow it down between French or Be...

[quote]Dear Cheryl - Thanks for getting back. We thought of tea strainer but as it didn't work particularly well in ours thought maybe it had another use. Now if someone can identify the marks or place of origin... N.[/quote]

[quote]This is a miniature bucket (H: 3 cm) with a pierced base for use as a sieve. It has a wire handle with a central loop which holds another U-shaped wire. It looks as if the prongs of the latter wire could be pushed into something to hold the bucket upright while something (?mulled wine spices?...

[quote]We have a set of knives with silver handles and Solingen blades, the latter certainly replacements. The handles have worn stamps with the figure of a ?harpy or ?angel. It reminds me of Seljuk harpies with a halo and frontal head. Below are the initials DB. They were sold as 'Russian' in Corfu...

[quote]Many thanks - can you guide me to any sources about Haller? I'm working in the country (not near a good library) but will be back in London next week. N.[/quote]

[quote] This is one of a set of pickle forks, which to judge from the mark were apparently originally gilt. They measure app. 14 cm. The script on the stamp looks like it might be Cyrillic (LOS or LDS?) above a flying ?bat. I'm not sure if the marks below are numbers or letters. Any interpretations ...

This is a planished silver bowl on a low foot. It is marked on the rim with a Wien toucan 4 stamp and 800 plus a maker's mark reading JxH. Can anyone help me identify this silversmith's mark? Does it help to date the bowl? Many thanks. http://sv1.letmehost.com/img.php?file=sv1/20/viennabowl1.JPG&quo...