Help with identifying maker on Kokoshnik mark

[stoo]

Hi all. I have been looking for some time to try and identify a maker of some spoons I have.
I know they have a Kokoshnik mark, but I do not know enough to identify the maker.


http://www.sbnc.co.uk/spoons/russianspoon03.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.sbnc.co.uk/spoons/russianspoon04.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The two letters in the mark to the left of the Kokoshnik mark are definitely AB,
however, there are two marks to the right of the head in the lozenge and they look to me like a latin N and A (without the cross bar).
I have tried to identify these two characters, but I am not sure which letters in the cyrillic alphabet they are.
Also, is there a way to accurately identify the year?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
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[Qrt.S]

Your spoons are Russian as you probably already knew. This kokoshnik mark was used 1899-1908. The Cyrillic letters behind the head are according to your description most likely ИЛ, in Latin letters IL, the initials of Ivan Sergeevich Lebedkin, assaying master i Moscow 1899-1914. Please, correct me if my assumption of the initials is incorrect. However, now you have the timeframe.

Even if we both are located on the same side of the world I cannot read AB but BA (Cyrillic) :-))). In Latin letters VA, or? Nevertheless, who is that? There are several alternatives, among those I picked a few, he can be any of the following:

1. V. Akimov
2. VasiliySemenov Agafionov
3. Vasily Ivanovich Andreev
4. Vasily Alexandrovich Alexandrov
Somebody else...

Frankly, that's all you (I) can read from the marks...good enough?
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[stoo]

Hi Qrt.S

Thanks for the quick reply. Yes, you are correct, it does not matter where in the world you are, it reads BA - a stupid mistake on my part :)

I am impressed with the information you psoted. Thanks again.

Stoo.
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