I’ve only ever seen one instance of his mark, on a shoe buckle of around 1765 —1770 and wandered if anyone else has seen the mark, and on what .He does not seem to have made tongs or nips but perhaps the spoon collectors know of him ?. The only auction records I have is one of a silver gilt medallion of 1784 and small tankard of 1772 -—both only tentatively ascribed to him
There were actually two London registered smallworkers with very similar IA marks in the mid to late eighteenth century. The other was Joseph Adams of Walsall (London mark of 25 September 1772 Grimwade 3398)
I have always found it difficult to tell the difference in their marks from Grimwade
But while adding a couple of unknown earlier IA marks to the Lost London Marks site http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=59" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; I think I may have resolved the uncertainty.
I think the answer is in the two photos below. Both are on shoe buckles with the 1756 onwards Lion Passant.
The left mark, on a buckle of c 1765 —1775 , is I believe that of Ashpinshaw. Note absence of gap between the “I” and the front leg of the “A” which corresponds well to Grimwade 1101 for Ashpinshaw .
The right , on a buckle of slightly later style is, I think Adams.
Adams also had two further London marks as a bucklemaker in 1776, but these are distinguishable by their incurved ends. Walsall in the Black Country was very much bucklemaker territory.
The only Jonh Ashpinshaw or Aspinshaw whose will is recorded in PCC was John Ashpinshaw, Whitesmith of Saint Andrew Holborn and Saint George the Martyr , Middlesex proved 13 October 1798 who could, being a Whitesmith , be his son.
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