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V« in contour cartouche doesn’t stand for “Pforzheim” — town marks in that time in Germany? No!
Hello Christian
Since the decline and cease of the Guilds in Germany, and especially not after 1 January 1888, were town marks in use in Germany — there fore stand then after the »Crown« for be »Made in Germany«; before that latter as mark has happen too.
The
script letter »
V« mark, in the letter
V following contour cartouche, is a
Dutch mark, and stand for »
Vreemde (kleine)
werken« (Foreign objects, made from precious metals). It’s a tax mark, normally added in the Dutch Assay Offices on imported items made from precious metals, when the tax was paid.
This
script letter »
V« mark was a successor on former, similar marks; »bij “Koninklijk Besluit” van
16 September 1905; in gebruik genomen op
1 January 1906« (Kings Decree from
16 September 1905, in force from
1 January 1906 on, until 31 August 1953.
That signification is in yours case, that yours match safe was imported in The Netherlands from Germany, after 1 January 1906 and before 31 August 1953. Then after, it was officially not back exported to Germany.
Here you could see some of the other and elder Dutch »
V« marks (right column, examples H and I):
http://www.925-1000.com/Fnetherlands_Date_Code.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I hope that this explanation would help you?
Kind regards silverport