This is the first post here for me and as you will gather immediately I am new to silver collecting as well.
Attached are pictures of a Tea Pot which I gather has the hallmark for Robert Hennel in London, 1784. However, two things seem strange to me and I'd like to know whether they are indeed odd or whether my shallow knowledge of the matter makes them appear so. The maker's mark is in between the other marks versus on either terminals which I have not yet seen. Furthermore, this being 1784, should there not be a duty mark? Or did that come in part way through 1784 and therefore is not present on all the pieces from that year?
In summary I'm wondering whether this piece / hallmark is fine or whether this may be a fake.
Thanks
![Image](%5Burl=http%3A//img498.imageshack.us/my.php?image=untitled76fq.jpg%5D%5Bimg%5Dhttp://img498.imageshack.us/img498/562/untitled76fq.th.jpg)
[/img]
![Image](http://img498.imageshack.us/img498/2453/untitled85ei.th.jpg)
.