Possible Scandinavian spoon, circa 1900, maker AH 13 1/4 mark

[Essexboy Found]

Hello, I just re-found this likely Scandinavian spoon that I bought in late summer (gardening time) last year. It looks as if it was made in a period, a few years before, or after 1900 and it carries that not regularly seen 13 1/4 mark for 0.826 silver guarantee (lodigt, lot, lod, loth).



The maker's mark "AH" is not a very helpful clue, but in our Forum's reference section I found the Danish silversmith from Copenhagen "A.Halberstadt (Eftf)" shown with a pellet between the letters. Using that name I found suggestions that "AH" without a pellet could also be a mark. The firm being in business from the last decade of the 19th century could be in the correct time frame and it is possible they are still going. I forgot the spoon is about 14 centimetres long and please put me on the right road for identifying the spoon's maker.

Fishless

[Qrt.S]

You are right " not a helpful clue", but I also believe the maker to be Amsel Moses Halberstadt in Copenhagen 1846-1901. He is known to have made cutlery e.g. spoons. He used about half a dozen different punches among those this. The fineness 13½ loth is also typical for the period before 1893. Unless a better solution is presented lets go for Halberstadt.

[dognose]

Hi Qrt.S,

I bow to your knowledge of Scandinavian silver, but I read the fineness mark as 13¼. Would that not more likely be indicative of Norwegian silver?

Trev.

[Qrt.S]

Correct dognose, sorry about that. The fineness of 13¼ was used in Denmark 1893-1972. The twisted stem for example undoubtedly "indicates" a bit Norway, but I didn't mange to find any suitable master in Norway punching AH in a square shield. Moreover, the loth fineness in NO was changed to promille in 1892. It is always difficult to identify a maker when the row of punches is incomplete like this. Unfortunately typical for both Denmark and Norway. About the fineness 13¼ loth, it was undoubtedly a typical Norwegian fineness 1820(30)-1892. This is difficult, a 50/50 situation, but I would anyway stick to Denmark. Note! Norway was a part of Denmark 1814-1905.
A complete answer is sometimes difficult to give/find, sorry.

[dognose]

Hi Qrt.S,

Many thanks for the explanation.

Trev.

[Ubaranda]

Note! Norway was a part of Denmark 1814-1905.

A small clarification: Norway was part of Sweden, not Denmark in 1814-1905.

[Qrt.S]

Yes Ubaranda is right.Of course Sweden. Denmark had to give up/assign Norway to Sweden in 1824. Anyway, it changes nothing in this case. The spoon is under no circumstances "Swedish". It is either Norwegian och Danish, likely Danish. But no suitable registered maker can be found in either country due to the incomplete markings. Anyway, I would still bet on Denmark. The only master it could be with a BIG question mark is August Carl Hansen in Nyköping 1850-1887, but ????

[Essexboy Found]

Thank you very much gentlemen for teasing out the possibilities on the identification of my spoon. Probably A.M. Halberstadt of Copenhagen on the label for now then.

Fishless

[idarf]

A. S. Hodne, Christiansand (presentday Kristiansand, Norway) marked "A.H." (no pellet) from 1877.
This style (partly twisted stem, flowery decoration, light weight) was quite popular in Norway at that time.
"13 1/4" was prevalent before 1892, from then 830 S would have be used.

Regards,
Idar F.