Hi CAReno,
Thanks for posting the clearer image.
The top and bottom marks are almost certainly journeymen's marks, stuck so that the actual maker could be identified and thus paid (and held accountable for any problems later found). The '736' would be an internal stock/batch/order number. The mark on the left is the Arms of the City of London, and the 'A' a date letter, but to my knowledge the code of which is yet to be cracked.
Previous to your post I had only noted examples of the firm's flatware, where the date letter appears to be stuck numerically and applied with the mark of the later partnership of Edward (II) and John (I):
As your item bears the mark of an earlier partnership, it does raise questions. The item may have been one of their early efforts in plating, and perhaps they did not want to use their current mark for silver and simply struck it with a redundant punch, but that is mere speculation.
Barnard's plating side of their business was thought to be operating sometime during the 1850's/1860's period. As stated the Barnards and the Farradays were connected by marriage on several occasions, John Barnard (I) married his sister-in-law, Margaret Farraday, the sister of Michael Farraday on the 14th March 1826. Michael Farraday was married to Sarah Barnard on the 12th June 1821.
Can you show us a larger image of the whole item?
Trev.