Prague makers mark IFH

[SteveDWollongong]

Hi All,

I recently purchased this table snuff box because its made from silver and the price seemed good...and it's made from silver. Oh, did I mention it's made from silver. I seem to have a bit of a problem with things made from silver. I keep buying them and then trying to find somewhere to put them in the house....preferably where the wife doesn't notice, at least for a month or two and I can say I've had it for ages.

Anyway, I'm looking for help to find out who the maker is. I have come across two other examples of silver on the net made by the same Prague silversmith and they too are snuff boxes but no identification of who IFH is.

The box carries two sets of identical marks, one set on the lid the other on the base. Each set comprises of the pre 1867 Austrian assay mark plus a makers mark. Both of the assay marks are poorly struck but by using the best details from each I read the following:

B for Prague.
Year 1853 (the box lid is engraved with 1854 when the box was given as a gift, so ties in perfectly)
15 loth

The makers marks are fairly clear and I have no doubt that they are IFH. Is anyone able to identify this maker? Note - the two other examples I found with the same makers mark, were a little later, the latest being 1865

Thanks
Steve





The two assay marks:



The two makers marks:

[dolpheus]

Hello,
it is not 15 loth, but 13 loth. Hallmark for 15-loth has different outline, different year position and year-numbers unseparated.

By the way, i collect silver for 20 years, especially austro-hungarian silver, and i have seen 15-loth mark live not at all. So, from practice, it is very uncommon.
Your maker IFH is probably Josef František Hübsch, 1819-post 1852, master 1847, live in Spálená ulice 1339/II. Make chiefly little silver works as your box, or jewellery.



regards
M.

[SteveDWollongong]

Hi M,

Thankyou for taking the time to share your knowledge. I'm not surprised about the box being 13 loth as this is what I expected. As you can see the marks are hard to read and I misread the 3 for a 5. I didn't realise the 15 loth mark took a different form. When researching, I came across a well respected retailer selling a similar box with the identical 1853 mark as mine. It is listed as 15 loth...obviously incorrectly but it meant I didn't question the mark form even though I had noticed a difference in the example given on the silvercollectionit website. I think my old brain needs a reboot.
I note your wise "probable" attribution to Josef František Hübsch. It seems a good fit and is the only attribution to this makers mark that has been offered anywhere on the net that I can find. So for the time being at least, I will credit Josef František Hübsch as being the maker of my little snuff box.

Once again many thanks for sharing.

Steve

[dolpheus]

I have forgot this source. Size of mark shoud be 3,1 mm if it is Hübsch.



M.

[SteveDWollongong]

I have measured the hallmark using dial vernier calipers and yes, it does indeed measure 3.1mm.

thankyou,

Steve

[huszas76]

Dear Friends!
Here is an example for the 15 lot hallmark from Wien:

Best regards!
Krisztián

[dolpheus]

Many thanks, Krisztian, for Your report.
And whats your practice about this mark appearance?
As i have write, i have seen surely some hundreds of 13-loth austrian hallmarks, but not a single one for 15-loth.
regards and merry christmas
Martin

[huszas76]

Dear MArtin!
I agree with you, it's a rare fineness. In the last 10 years I saw 5 or 6 items from Wien, and another one from Lemberg. And I saw 14 lot items, one from Baja, and another one from Besztercebánya (Neusohl, today Banska Bystrica).
Best regards!
Krisztián

[huszas76]

Dear Martin!
Can you share with me the source for the makers?
Thank you in advance!
Best regards!
Krisztián

[dolpheus]

Dear Krisztian,

I am very sorry for so late answer and even sorry if you send me a mail - as i have find, my mail box was deactivated. Now i am again on mail and i become alert on my phone if mail come, so, i suppose i don't ignore mail never more.

(admin edit - see Posting Requirements )

To your question: Sources i used in this topic are:

First, "Stehlíková Dana : Encyklopedie českého zlatnictví, stříbrnictví a klenotnictví; Libri, 2003; ISBN 80-85983-90-7"
cca 616 pages, very interesting source, containing czech, moravian and also slovakian makers. It contains also other points except makers, e.g. "spoon", "hyalit", "feston", "fibule", etc. etc., but mainly contains info about makers. D.Stehlikova is important czechoslovak silver expert, make also catalog for austrian silver presentation in Brünn, some years ago (also important source, contain mainly pictures of items). Stehlikova also published for me extremely interesting paper about Lackstampfer's family, 19-th century silversmiths from Brünn (Moravia) (source or full text i can find).

Second, "Josef Hráský : Výrobní značky zlatnických, stříbrnických a ozdobnických mistrů v Čechách v letech 1806-1860; 1981; ACTA UMP XIV.-řada D. Supplementa 3" 174 pages, very rigorous work, but contains only Czech - not Moravian or Slovakian - makers. And only from stated year period. Here are also maker marks dimensions !!. I have some pages in E-form, but not whole book.

I thing, source 1. can be found to buy still (or some years before, no problem). But source 2. is very rare to find.

If i can help you with some marks, it is not a problem for me, you are very welcomme. But as you just know, i am on I-net not every day, so possibly, stay patient, please:)

Hope i help, regards
Martin

[dolpheus]

I refill my post : Source 2. "Josef Hráský : Výrobní značky zlatnických, stříbrnických..." I have complete, but only as real paper book. Only part i have in E-form. For clarification.

Regards
M.