Tring to date a fork and id maker

georgecl · Post by **georgecl** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 10:41 pm

Hi

This piece was in my Grandmothers things
I dated the piece by the reg. mark to 1852.

but the letter date dosent match up?
London maker FH.

Thanks
George

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georgecl · Post by **georgecl** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 5:41 pm

could this be a Francis Higgins Piece?

Anyone.

Thanks
George
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Waylander · Post by **Waylander** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 5:52 pm

While the date letter is not that clear, it looks like the "c" for 1858 (6 years after reg mark). Mark looks to be that of Francis Higgins (mid 19th century).

Waylander
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georgecl · Post by **georgecl** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 3:18 pm

Thanks Waylander..

Ill try to get a better pic of the date letter..but I think you are correct a "C".

George
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TBC · Post by **TBC** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 3:42 pm

On the basis of the photograph, I'm relatively clear that the year is as stated 1858-59, and also that the maker is Francis Higgins, whose Tea-spoons were entered in Jackson's (p 233) for 1817. The entry in Jackson's is more out of date than I would ordinarily like. And so, I would await other, more learned persons, to opine on the date and maker's mark for this item.

Kindest regards,

Tom
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TBC · Post by **TBC** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 4:52 pm

On the basis of the photograph, I'm relatively clear that the year is as stated 1858-59, and also that the maker is Francis Higgins, whose Tea-spoons were entered in Jackson's (p 233) for 1817. The entry in Jackson's is more out of date than I would ordinarily like. And so, I would await other, more learned persons, to opine on the date and maker's mark for this item.

Kindest regards,

Tom
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allan · Post by **allan** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 9:09 am

Hello there.
Almost certainly Higgins. The pattern is called Ornamental Elizabethan and was made by Frances Higgins for Hunt and Roskell. The design was registered 21st december 1852. It is pictured on P147 of Silver Flatware by Ian Pickford (pub antique collector's club, 1995). Incidentally, the victorian registration system is never an accurate way of dating an item, be it silver, glass or ceramics, as this is simply the date of registration of the design or pattern (a form of patenting) and many designs remained in production for amny years afterwards.
Hope this helps. I need some big help with a Scottish hall mark, so I am hoping some really clever person can help. Please see my entry!
Best wishes
Allan
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