My name is Al and I have started a metal detecting hobby. Long story short there was a naval battle here in July 1760 called the battle of the restigouche between the French and British during the Seven Years War. I have found some pretty cool artifacts from the period along the riverbanks where the French fled and also where there was a French Village that was burned. I have found various objects ranging from musket balls to Shoe/Belt buckles, spoons, hand-wrought nails.. etc..
The reason I am here is to ask if any of you can identify a stamping on the back of a spoon I recently found. I'm not sure if it's silver or not. Probably isn't, but this was the only site I found through a quick search looking for antique spoons and stuff. At any rate, I believe, due to the other objects I have found, that these spoons are from that period in the middle 18th century. Perhaps from the village or left behind as the French fled up the Restigouche River.. I don't see any hall marks or makers marks or anything, just this symbol stamped on the back..
It is a rat-tail type spoon, I have taken a few pictures.. The one with the stamp on it is curved up at the top so you can't see the flat crown with 9 circles on top of it. There is a triangle with a crescent moon on top and a star in the middle and on either side..
Any help would be appreciated..
Also any tips on identifying between pewter and silver and how to clean them would be appreciated as well. I know, a noob is asking for a lot.. :)
Thank you,
Al.
Spoon
Spoon stamp, top rear.
