We have a lion passant to suggest Sterling silver, but it is looking the wrong way. There is a letter "A", and a crown mark. There is what appears to be a maker's mark "JN" and an additional "PS" mark. Some typical pseudo hallmarks from colonial silver? But what about the "PS" mark. Our web site's reference sections for silverplate, Canadian and USA silversmiths had no obvious leads for "JN". Silvercollection.it did show in their silverplate reference section, a John Neal of London, a retail jeweller using pseudo hallmarks in his trademarking. Below are some London Directory entries for John Neal.
Post Office London Directory (Small Edition), 1852
.................Watchmaker Jeweller, papier maché warehouse & silver glass depot 18 Edgeware Rd, Marylebone
Post Office London Directory, 1882. [Part 3: Trades & Professional Directory
.....................Silversmith 44 to 48 Edgeware Rd also jewellers & watchmakers
.....................Electroplate Manufacturers & dealers 44 to 48 Edgeware Rd, Marylebone
Business Directory of London, 1884. [Part 1: Alphabetical Section]
....................Watch maker 44,46,48 Edgware Rd, W, Manufactory 23-25 Hampden Gurney St, w
Our Forum does have a post by "Dognose" relating to John Neal of London in the "Some London Advertisements and Information" section. Here, there is a reference to "Pyro Silver", a trade name and a possible explanation for the "PS" mark on the spoon. The reference to that post is below where there is much information on Pyro Silver. It also says that John Neal in 1870 registered at London a silvermark "JN" validating the 1882 London Directory entry above.
https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopi ... 51#p153351
Here are photos of an article from the June 1876 "Jeweler, Silversmith & American Art Journal relating to the Exhibition at Philadelphia and the John Neal business and "Neal's Pyro Silver Cutlery, etc, --- A Great Invention".
Back to the colonial spoon, do we think it is an electroplated spoon made in a "Manufactory" at "23-25 Hampden Gurney St, w" London? That is despite the firm having an official silver mark. Was this a strategy to increase electroplated cutlery sales? The website “silvermakersmarks.co.uk” does not have a London entry for John Neal and that probably indicates very little silverware made by John Neal has been noted. Keep your eyes open for some.
This is a link to some very interesting ephemera from January 1876 if anyone can do anything with it.
https://www.gettyimages.co.nz/detail/ne ... o/90779163
Fishless