unknown maker on london 1878 napkin ring: MJ over ?C

[frenchieny]

Hello! I need help identifying the marks on a napkin ring. It seems to have been made in London around 1878, but I cannot find anything about the maker, and am beginning to be suspicious of the hallmarks...

The intaglio marks are as follows (please excuse any mistakes with the descriptions!):

(1) maker's mark incomplete and unidentifed: looks like quatrefoil with WJ over ?C -- I cannot make out what would be before the C.

(2) standard mark would indicate English .925 sterling, produced after 1822: lion passant (not gardant), with curved bottom, flat sides, flat top with cut edges on top

(3) city mark would indicate London after 1822: uncrowned leopard in shield with cut off edges on top, pointy bottom. Before I took photos it looked to me like a shield with 3 marks across the top, but upon further reflection I think it is a cat since I can see the whiskers a bit, and the ears (altho it looks more like pacman or something than a leopard)

(4) date letter would indicate 1878: C uppercase, and inside a shield with pointy bottom, triple top (what is that called??)

(5) duty mark perhaps indicating 1838-1890 time frame: lady's head looking left

Here are some photos:

HALLMARKS:
http://picasaweb.google.com/frenchieny/ ... 2657411874" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

NAPKIN RING:
http://picasaweb.google.com/frenchieny/ ... 1247346482" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What do you think? Thanks in advance for any feedback.
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[2209patrick]

Hello. I think the letters are WJ over WC.
This mark was entered on December 12, 1877 by William Henry Jackson and Walter Chase.
On June 9, 1883 their partnership ended.
William Henry Jackson entered his own mark (WJH) on June 11, 1883.
In 1887 he entered into a partnership with Peter Henderson Deere.



Pat.
.

[frenchieny]

Sorry, M/W confusion. I should have written WJ over something-C.

Thanks for the quick response. Can you point me toward any more information on this William Henry Jackson and Walter Chase? I did a quick websearch, and I am not getting much.

Thanks again for aiding this newbie.
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[2209patrick]

You are welcome.
Don't know if there is any information on the internet.
My information came from John P. Fallon's book "Marks of London Goldsmiths and Silversmiths 1837-1914".

Pat.
.