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Hammered Silver bowl with unknown markings
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 9:32 am
by Astrogem
Hi All
My wife bought this bowl in Johannesburg, South Africa. We have looked in our reference books and online and have been unable to identify the marks. Your help would be much appreciated.
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 12:52 pm
by admin
Hi,
A better mark image would help significantly, also please provide a description of the marks as you see them.
Thanks, Tom
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 1:59 pm
by rat-tail
Hi - I've seen this mark on good quality Rhodesian (now Zimbabwe) silver plate. I think the company was called Royal Sable (but don't quote me on that - I'm trying to recall a piece I've seen with a sticker underneath). Very much in the style of the copper pieces that country produced, which were sometimes plated. The quality of the plating was always good. Sorry i can't be of more help.
Regards Frank
Description of marks
Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 4:54 am
by Astrogem
admin wrote:
Hi,
A better mark image would help significantly, also please provide a description of the marks as you see them.
Thanks, Tom
Hi Tom
The first mark looks a bit like a Clown's head. The initials are JMP. The second mark looks like a phoenix and the last mark is H1
Regards
Grant
Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 4:55 am
by Astrogem
rat-tail wrote:Hi - I've seen this mark on good quality Rhodesian (now Zimbabwe) silver plate. I think the company was called Royal Sable (but don't quote me on that - I'm trying to recall a piece I've seen with a sticker underneath). Very much in the style of the copper pieces that country produced, which were sometimes plated. The quality of the plating was always good. Sorry i can't be of more help.
Regards Frank
Thanks Frank
This is a good clue. I will follow this up and let you know if I am able to confirm it.
Regards
Grant
Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 5:36 am
by StantonRoux
I have a silver bowl with similar marks.
I am also looking for a maker and date and if its really silver.
Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 5:13 pm
by salmoned
It seems with a good magnifier, you could read the writing around the edge of the third mark from the left in the last photo ...
Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:18 pm
by 2209patrick
Response from Manufacturer
Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 3:08 am
by Astrogem
Hi All
I managed to contact Bruce Johnson at Copperwares in Zimbabwe. Please see his comments below.
"This was a company called Industrial Metal Products previously owned by Anglo American it was bought out many years ago by Copperwares but we do not use this Hall mark on current product and do not make this product any more"
This explains the initials IMP (not JMP as I first thought).
Regards
Grant
Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 4:26 am
by dognose
Hi Grant,
Many thanks for posting this information.
Did Bruce Johnson give any indication as to whether such pieces are silver or plated?
Regards Trev.
