French? Italian? Neither? Very stuck!

[suefromoz]

Good evening to the Forum. This is my very first post here and I hope I have understood your requirements of me correctly! I have come across a silver dessert spoon, which seems to have the hallmarks of more than one country, to my very untrained eye. Like a mix of French and Sheffield! But what really fascinated me is the ducal coronet over the very ornate WB (BW) monogram on the back of the spoon. I have taken pics of all that I think you require and now I shall try and add them.





Does anyone recognise either the hallmarks or the monogram? I would be delighted to have some info about either. Just to clarify what is on the marks: First, is a Germanic lower case p, Second, a Head of a helmeted man, Third, a lion, tail up, mouth open, paw raised, with a 2 under him, and Fourth, WHH and an anchor.

It is bed time here in Australia, so I shall check this page before leaving for work tomorrow, in case anyone has a question I have not already answered.
Many thanks in advance!
Sue

[Joerg]

Hi Sue

Welcome to the forum.

Check out the Dutch Section of the "World Marks" pages, and good luck in dating your spoon from The Netherlandes.

Kind regards

Jörg

[oel]

Hello Sue,

Dutch silver spoon.

From left to right marks at your spoon.
1.) Date letter P for 1874
2.) Minerva head , assay office mark, with regional assay office letter A for Amsterdam
3.) Dutch Lion Passant 2 for silver of minimum .833 fineness used 1814-1953
4.) Makers’mark WHH with anchor for Hellweg widow Hendrik (Fredriks, Maria Jacoba), city of Amsterdam, mark used 1874-1875
5.) Can not give more information about monogram with coronet’s crown.

Regards,

Oel

[oel]

Hi again,

Sorry spelled Hellweg must be maker’s mark WHH with anchor for: Widow of Hendrik Helweg.

Regards,

Oel

[dognose]

Hi,


Maria Jacoba Fredriks in 1893. Widow of Hendrik Helwig. Born 1814. Working period as tafelzilversmid 1858-1875. Died 1897.



What must have been Maria's first newspaper advertisement (Amsterdamse Courant), dated the 16th February 1858.

Trev.

[suefromoz]

Wow! Good morning from Australia. What a wealth of knowledge to wake up to. Right down to a pic of the painting of the maker. Thank you all so very much. I am thrilled to have such a brilliant set of facts about this spoon now. I had not looked at the Dutch section (obv), it was probably the only section I had not looked at. I had it in my head that France or Italy were the ones who used helmeted gods. Excellent learning curve for me. You have made my day. Major big thanks to you all and I am more than impressed with your joint skills.