Austrian silver - makers mark

jackk · Post by **jackk** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 1:58 pm

Can anyone identify this makers mark "ET"? It is Austrian.

Thanks

Hose_dk · Post by **Hose_dk** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 2:23 pm

dont know the maker but A=Wien And I believ that it is 800 silver = 3.
Mark is between 1872 and 1922.

jackk · Post by **jackk** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 3:37 pm

Is it 3 or 2? For me it looks like a 2.

blakstone · Post by **blakstone** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 1:05 am

Neuwirth's "Lexikon Wiener Gold- und Silberschmiede" identifies the maker as Eduard Tauch, Sr., with no further information.

blakstone · Post by **blakstone** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 1:28 am

Forgot to mention that it must be a "3" for the third standard of .800; you can tell by the five-lobed outline; the second standard of .900 was a perfect hexagon.

In fact, you can always calculate the fineness from the "Dianakopf" outline: a straight line = .150 and a curved line = .160. Here, five curved lines = .160 x 5 = .800. The second standard hexagon = six straight lines = . 150 x 6 = .900.

(Actually, it works for the "Apollokopf" gold mark, too, but if the curve is inward rather than outward it equals .140; for instance, the second standard gold mark has six inward curves = .140 x 6 = .840.)

jackk · Post by **jackk** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 10:04 am

Thank you blakstone. Something new everyday. :)
It is kind of surprising because I was sure that the number visible on the left of Diana is "2". If you look close it definetly looks like a 2. Don't you think.

Bahner · Post by **Bahner** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 6:45 am

Hello, it must be a corrupted 3, not only, as Blakstone stated, because of the shape of the outline, but also because the 2 would have to be punched not at the back of the neck but higher up at the back of the head. Tauch senior was born in 1829, but it was not until 1897 that he was first listed as a goldsmith. I can find no explanation for that. He seems to have been active for only a few years until ca. 1900. Best wishes, Bahner