Hi,
Could someone please identify the following mark on a spoon I have.
I have tried to use the website and got possibly James Keith.
Could you please confirm all the marks.
Thank you in advance.
http://s1240.photobucket.com/user/Retri ... a.jpg.html
http://s1240.photobucket.com/user/Retri ... 4.jpg.html
Silver Mark James Keith
Re: Silver Mark James Keith
First we establish the date.
It has a duty mark of a George, so between 1785 and 1830
Almost certainly London.
The leoparts head is uncrowned so after 1822.
Only dateletter of "l" that falls into that period is 1826/27.
No James Keiths known to me. There was a John James Keith of the correct period, but his sole mark , registered in 1824 was as a largeworker and used the initial IJK so unlikely .
An examination of Grimwade suggests No 1391 (I think the mark is IH) . John Holdup .
So perhaps John Holdup , a spoonmaker whose only known mark was entered 11 November 1808 at 24 George Street , Blackfriars Road.
But the spoon enthusiasts will probably shoot me down in flames !
It has a duty mark of a George, so between 1785 and 1830
Almost certainly London.
The leoparts head is uncrowned so after 1822.
Only dateletter of "l" that falls into that period is 1826/27.
No James Keiths known to me. There was a John James Keith of the correct period, but his sole mark , registered in 1824 was as a largeworker and used the initial IJK so unlikely .
An examination of Grimwade suggests No 1391 (I think the mark is IH) . John Holdup .
So perhaps John Holdup , a spoonmaker whose only known mark was entered 11 November 1808 at 24 George Street , Blackfriars Road.
But the spoon enthusiasts will probably shoot me down in flames !
Re: Silver Mark James Keith
Hi,
The 'IH' letter combination is always a nightmare to identify as surely it has to be one of the most commonest pairings. However, in this case we are blessed with a most valuable clue, the journeyman's mark. Of all of the candidates registered at London at this period, only one, to my knowledge, would have been a sizeable enough outfit employing enough silversmiths that the individual who actually made the spoon would need to strike his mark upon it for an identification to be made. That outfit would have been that of John Mark Harris (John Harris IV). Harris's business was to last for well over 100 years, later bearing the more well-known of Charles Stuart Harris.
Trev.
The 'IH' letter combination is always a nightmare to identify as surely it has to be one of the most commonest pairings. However, in this case we are blessed with a most valuable clue, the journeyman's mark. Of all of the candidates registered at London at this period, only one, to my knowledge, would have been a sizeable enough outfit employing enough silversmiths that the individual who actually made the spoon would need to strike his mark upon it for an identification to be made. That outfit would have been that of John Mark Harris (John Harris IV). Harris's business was to last for well over 100 years, later bearing the more well-known of Charles Stuart Harris.
Trev.