WE mark on 1800 silver teaspoon

[Sebastian]

This 1800-1801 teaspoon could be by William Eaton senior or by William Edwards. Could someone tell me which is the correct maker please.
William Eaton senior was a bucklemaker, but I understand his son William Eaton junior worked with him, and he later made many spoons carrying his own 1828 mark.
William Edwards registered his mark in December 1800, but I don't know whether he was a spoonmaker or not.




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[MCB]

Hello Sebastian,

William Eaton is in Grimwade's book as a bucklemaker. I've seen flatware attributed to him but whether the attributions are accurate is another matter.
Nothing attributed to William Edwards has come my way and therefore whether he made spoons is open to question.
William Eley I had a mark much like the one on the spoon. Although Grimwade has him in partnership with William Fearn for the whole of the 1800-1 hallmark year he could also have produced work under his own mark and he was a flatware producer of large volume.
Grimwade 3100 & 3101 show Edward's and Eley's marks as quite similar. He gives only a description of Eaton's mark so it's hard to say this too was similar.
Your attribution of the maker of the spoon will have to be made on the balance of probability.

Regards,
Mike
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