George III (?) Mark Identification

[zafer]

We are having a hard time identifying the date, maker, and location for a small silver mustard spoon. We think that it is a George III, sterling, c. 1811-12(?). There is no crown and we don’t know what year the Q is for. We can’t make out the maker because it is too faint. Any help on this identification would be much appreciated.

[AG2012]

Hi,
Could be William & Samuel Knight, London, flatware silversmiths.
1811.
Regards

[AG2012]

For better comparison

[zafer]

Wow good sleuthing! You can definitely see the "wells" of the W and S and lower K now that you put a crisper engraving next to it.

One thing that confused us was that the crown stamp is missing on this piece, so how would you be able to identify it as London-made?

[AG2012]

Hello again.
Leopard`s head for London assay office was often omitted on small items at the time to prevent fraudulent transposition of the marks.
Tax paid on your spoon by weight and then back in the workshop incorporated (soldered) into much heavier object. Makes sense, right ?
Regards

[zafer]

Oh okay, so they'd make items like these and get them unstamped to avoid taxes. Then they'd put them into a bigger object, which would help them avoid some of the costs.

[AG2012]

Hello again,
Misunderstanding.
The tax was paid on the spoon and the spoon was legally assayed at London Assay Office with city mark (leopard`s head crowned) deliberately omitted by the assayer to prevent transposing marks onto a larger object. Because larger objects had to bear full set of marks, therefore the spoon without city mark was useless to be incorporated (soldered) onto larger objects.

Transposing marks was against the law.
Regards

[zafer]

Ah I understand now! Somebody would make a cheaper small object to obtain the mark. Then remove that chunk with the mark and attach it to a larger object to make it look like the stamp was already paid. Sneaky!