Hammered Silver bowl with unknown markings

PHOTOS REQUIRED - marks + item
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Astrogem
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2009 6:51 am
Location: South Africa

Hammered Silver bowl with unknown markings

Post by Astrogem »

Hi All

My wife bought this bowl in Johannesburg, South Africa. We have looked in our reference books and online and have been unable to identify the marks. Your help would be much appreciated.

Image
Image
admin
Site Admin
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Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 6:52 pm

Post by admin »

Image

Hi,
A better mark image would help significantly, also please provide a description of the marks as you see them.
Thanks, Tom
rat-tail
contributor
Posts: 270
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Location: Durban, South Africa

Post by rat-tail »

Hi - I've seen this mark on good quality Rhodesian (now Zimbabwe) silver plate. I think the company was called Royal Sable (but don't quote me on that - I'm trying to recall a piece I've seen with a sticker underneath). Very much in the style of the copper pieces that country produced, which were sometimes plated. The quality of the plating was always good. Sorry i can't be of more help.

Regards Frank
Astrogem
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2009 6:51 am
Location: South Africa

Description of marks

Post by Astrogem »

admin wrote:Image

Hi,
A better mark image would help significantly, also please provide a description of the marks as you see them.
Thanks, Tom
Hi Tom

The first mark looks a bit like a Clown's head. The initials are JMP. The second mark looks like a phoenix and the last mark is H1
Regards
Grant
Astrogem
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2009 6:51 am
Location: South Africa

Post by Astrogem »

rat-tail wrote:Hi - I've seen this mark on good quality Rhodesian (now Zimbabwe) silver plate. I think the company was called Royal Sable (but don't quote me on that - I'm trying to recall a piece I've seen with a sticker underneath). Very much in the style of the copper pieces that country produced, which were sometimes plated. The quality of the plating was always good. Sorry i can't be of more help.

Regards Frank
Thanks Frank

This is a good clue. I will follow this up and let you know if I am able to confirm it.
Regards
Grant
StantonRoux
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 9:57 am
Location: Cape Town - South Africa

Post by StantonRoux »

I have a silver bowl with similar marks.

I am also looking for a maker and date and if its really silver.

Image

Image
salmoned
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Location: Hawaii

Post by salmoned »

It seems with a good magnifier, you could read the writing around the edge of the third mark from the left in the last photo ...
2209patrick
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Post by 2209patrick »

Image
Astrogem
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2009 6:51 am
Location: South Africa

Response from Manufacturer

Post by Astrogem »

Hi All

I managed to contact Bruce Johnson at Copperwares in Zimbabwe. Please see his comments below.

"This was a company called Industrial Metal Products previously owned by Anglo American it was bought out many years ago by Copperwares but we do not use this Hall mark on current product and do not make this product any more"

This explains the initials IMP (not JMP as I first thought).

Regards
Grant
dognose
Site Admin
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Location: England

Post by dognose »

Hi Grant,

Many thanks for posting this information.

Did Bruce Johnson give any indication as to whether such pieces are silver or plated?

Regards Trev.
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