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Sugar Bowl

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:32 pm
by Don 1
Hi All - I have been asked to try and ascertain the hallmarks on the sugar bowl shown. Nothing is known of its history, the owner 'thinks' it may be Italian, but I did not find marks even remotely resembling these in the Italian Hallmarks section.

Dimensions :
Bowl diameter : 12.5 cm
Handle to handle 14.0 cm
Overall height 9.2 cm
Bowl height 6.6 cm
Foot height 2.6 cm
Foot diameter 8.0 cm
Mouth/opening dia. 9.3 cm

The 4 hallmarks :
The equiarmed cross, with tri-lobed finials, overlaying a Maltese-type cross at 45º, with crown over - has been struck twice, due to the first strike being a bounced double strike, half the crown not developing and the edge of the punch falling again to the right of the mark. The second strike is clear.
The quality or standard mark ? (perhaps also date mark), appears to be a lion rampant, facing left, with an uppercase C above, and what to me is an indecipherable mark below.
The 3rd mark is a well executed bull's head in a coffin-shaped field.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Regards to all

Don 1

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Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:38 am
by blakstone
The marks are indeed Italian:

1) The Emblem of the Order of Saints Maurice & Lazarus = guarantee mark for large items of second standard (.800) silver, used in the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia, 1824-1872.

2) A bull's head in a truncated lozenge = assay office mark for Turin (Torino), 1824-1872.

3) CB, with a lion, in a lozenge = maker's mark of Carlo Balbino, active in Turin at least 1798-1825.

Thus: Turin, Italy, ca. 1825, by Carlo Balbino.

Hope this helps!

Ref: Vittorio Donaver & Roberto Dabbene, Argenti italiani dell'800 (Milan: San Gottardo, 1987/89), vol. I (Punzoni di garanzia), p. 61, mark 26 & p. 62, mark 36; v. II (Punzoni di argentieri), p. 77, Mark 165.