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help with identification of marks on a spoon
Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 9:07 am
by woody81
Hi, i have been doin some research online trying to gather some information on a spoon my mother has, but have drew a blank, any help would be greatly appricated.
Many thanks
Gareth
Re: help with identification of marks on a spoon
Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 10:57 am
by silverly
Your spoon looks like it is American coin silver to me. I find your mark idenitified as that of John Wallace of Pittsburgh which it may very well be. However, I can not given you any reference for that attribution.
There are experts that are convinced that the eagle mark is generally an indication of a Philadelphia maker. However, that doesn't mean that a Pittsburgh maker could not have also used that mark.
There was according to Wallace family genealogy a John Wallace who came from Virginia to Pittsburgh in 1815 and engaged in the jewelry trade. I don't find any sign of him there in the 1850 census, so I think it is fair to assume he had passed away by then because his descendants stayed on there.
Re: help with identification of marks on a spoon
Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 12:46 pm
by silverly
Also, I find John Wallace & Co in the 1841 Harris' General Business Directory of the Cities of Pittsburgh and Alleghany under the heading Watch & Clockmakers & Jewelers at the corner of Second and Market.
Re: help with identification of marks on a spoon
Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 5:25 pm
by woody81
Thank you for your replies, your knowledge and expertise are appreciated. We had a suspision that the spoons (we have 5 of them) were american, but kept hittin a blank.
thank you once again
gareth