unknown maker on london 1878 napkin ring: MJ over ?C
Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 9:20 am
Hello! I need help identifying the marks on a napkin ring. It seems to have been made in London around 1878, but I cannot find anything about the maker, and am beginning to be suspicious of the hallmarks...
The intaglio marks are as follows (please excuse any mistakes with the descriptions!):
(1) maker's mark incomplete and unidentifed: looks like quatrefoil with WJ over ?C -- I cannot make out what would be before the C.
(2) standard mark would indicate English .925 sterling, produced after 1822: lion passant (not gardant), with curved bottom, flat sides, flat top with cut edges on top
(3) city mark would indicate London after 1822: uncrowned leopard in shield with cut off edges on top, pointy bottom. Before I took photos it looked to me like a shield with 3 marks across the top, but upon further reflection I think it is a cat since I can see the whiskers a bit, and the ears (altho it looks more like pacman or something than a leopard)
(4) date letter would indicate 1878: C uppercase, and inside a shield with pointy bottom, triple top (what is that called??)
(5) duty mark perhaps indicating 1838-1890 time frame: lady's head looking left
Here are some photos:
HALLMARKS:
http://picasaweb.google.com/frenchieny/ ... 2657411874" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
NAPKIN RING:
http://picasaweb.google.com/frenchieny/ ... 1247346482" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
What do you think? Thanks in advance for any feedback.
.
The intaglio marks are as follows (please excuse any mistakes with the descriptions!):
(1) maker's mark incomplete and unidentifed: looks like quatrefoil with WJ over ?C -- I cannot make out what would be before the C.
(2) standard mark would indicate English .925 sterling, produced after 1822: lion passant (not gardant), with curved bottom, flat sides, flat top with cut edges on top
(3) city mark would indicate London after 1822: uncrowned leopard in shield with cut off edges on top, pointy bottom. Before I took photos it looked to me like a shield with 3 marks across the top, but upon further reflection I think it is a cat since I can see the whiskers a bit, and the ears (altho it looks more like pacman or something than a leopard)
(4) date letter would indicate 1878: C uppercase, and inside a shield with pointy bottom, triple top (what is that called??)
(5) duty mark perhaps indicating 1838-1890 time frame: lady's head looking left
Here are some photos:
HALLMARKS:
http://picasaweb.google.com/frenchieny/ ... 2657411874" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
NAPKIN RING:
http://picasaweb.google.com/frenchieny/ ... 1247346482" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
What do you think? Thanks in advance for any feedback.
.