Silver Spoon marked James Mix Jr with Hallmark

tryingtolearn · Post by **tryingtolearn** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 11:43 pm

I have 2 of these 7" long spoons that I think are coin silver. I was told they're South Carolina spoons but have no idea if that's correct. I know very little about silver and am hoping someone can help. My photos are the best my camera will do. The hallmarks appear to be either an O or a D, second one looks like an eagle, and the third looks like the profile of a person. I'd also love to know why the bowl of the spoon is angled! Thank you very much for any assistance.

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wev · Post by **wev** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 3:00 am

James Mix worked in Albany NY c 1820-1850. The pseudo-hallmarks are typical of a NY wholesale maker. The bowl angle is just wear.
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tryingtolearn · Post by **tryingtolearn** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 7:04 am

Thank you very much! As I said, I'm "silver impaired", so I hope you don't mind a couple more questions. What are psuedo hallmarks? Does that mean they're fake? I've had these spoons for a long time, and they're monogrammed. If James Mix was a wholesaler, would he have done the monogram? Both spoons have the angled bowl, exactly the same, so I'm inclined to think they were made with the angle. Are the spoons coin silver? Do they have any value other than silver content (just wondering if I should insure them)?
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wev · Post by **wev** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 11:22 am

Pseudo-hallmarks are, strictly speaking, fakes in that the are imitations of true British hallmarks. They were not, however, intended to decieve anyone; they were simply used, in the era of your spoons, as trademarks by many wholesale manufacturers. Some folks claim to have worked out who used which ones, but it's mostly just speculation and guesswork.

Mix was the retailer in this case, not the manufacturer. It is entirely possible that the spoons were engraved in his shop, but short of finding a hard record, there is no way of proving the case.

As I said, the angle is from wear, not design.
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Post by **dragonflywink** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 12:06 pm

"Both spoons have the angled bowl, exactly the same, so I'm inclined to think they were made with the angle."

Just think of generations of right-handed people scraping the spoons across their plates and bowls for well over 150 years, and the wear pattern will make perfect sense.

Cheryl ;o)
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silverly · Post by **silverly** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 1:10 am

James Mix continued to be listed as a jeweler in census's and directories until the year of his death which was 1907.
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