Unknown Provincial Mark B&L

[marklittler]

Hi everyone,

This one really has me stuck. B&L. The & is upside down and inverted too.

Initial thoughts were Indian but this has got me nowhere. Tried all my typical references but still drawing blanks! It is on a table spoon.

Does anyone recognise it?

[marklittler]

100 views and still no answer...must be a tricky one! I have never seen 925 so quiet...I am glad it is not just me struggling with this one!

Anyone?!

[dognose]

Hi Mark,

Yes, this one is certainly a mystery. I've checked all the references that I can think of, but drawn a blank so far.

I'll move the topic to the coin silver section to see if we have any luck there.

The search continues!

Trev.

[WesternPA]

Does this piece have a monogram? If so, can you provide a picture of it? Thanks!

[kerrsy]

https://www.silvermakersmarks.co.uk/Mak ... BA-BA.html

[silvermakersmarks]

There is definitely a B&L mark on that linked page, kerrsy, but it won't be the one in the original post for which we sadly no longer have the image. This topic would not have been moved to this section of the forum if it had had a Birmingham hallmark.

Phil

[lukebgi]

Hi folks,
Just resurrecting an image of the mark!
Cheers,
Luke

[lukebgi]

My gut feeling on this is Indian (or other colonial) but have yet to find an appropriate partnership!

[Traintime]

Bear in mind this is Not expert testimony. It seems to come down to the question of how old this spoon can be at the earliest dating...we'll need that answer to go further. However, if it can be pre-1776 (??), then American Colonial becomes a question of whether such a spoon could be overlooked. With that in mind, here is a biographical entry wherein silversmith Paul Little of Portland Maine is mentioned as the father-in-law (his youngest daughter) of the subject. Now, C. Jordan Thorn displayed mark for Paul Little dating 1760. But Paul Little may also be the less than identified partner in Butler & Little of Portland Me. c1759 (for which Thorn had no mark). Thorn also named John Butler of Portland Me. c1765 (further giving no marks). If B&L marks do remain unidentified all these years later (??), then perhaps a candidate if the spoon could have been fashioned then? That's the only clear possible I could find in this old reference book, and I'm not sure that this is the same Paul Little (could there be a father and son?). [There's a number of Butlers from Maine to Philly over a century and maybe WEV has done some sorting out already.]

[Traintime]

How do ya like them apples..I forgot the bio link: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=39666&p=161597&hil ... b6#p161597

[Traintime]

Butler & Little were both trained GS & SS from Massachusetts moving to Falmouth c1760 after hostilities had ceased in that region. Some tracking of places & dates accompanied by known apprentices: https://mainestatemuseum.org/wp-content ... ewelry.pdf

[Traintime]

List connecting to marks ascribed to Paul Little and John Butler: https://www.americansilversmiths.org/ma ... te_mod.htm