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Hi, This spoon is difficult to get information. I assume it is silver plated because there no hallmark other than the word Marken which is not much help for research so please help me out.

Anonymous souvenir spoon — individualized for the Island »Marken«

Hello Alvin

Yours »Windmill« souvenir spoon is a mass product of one of the Dutch workshops, specialised in Souvenir articles (e.g. spoons …). They are almost produced by sand casting — in non precious metal (e.g. brass or nickel-silver) and then after electro galvanic plated.

Or made from precious metal alloys — but if these alloys are below the minimum fineness of 800-1,000, and then it isn’t allowed to sign them, to being made from silver.

In yours case, both of the former mentioned alloys is possible.

It’s a mass product; individualized in the bowl with »Marken«.

»Marken« is an island west coast oriented, inside of the former »Zuiderzee« (South Sea) of The Netherlands. The »Zuiderzee« after being closed from the »North Sea« by dikes, now it is called »Ijsselmeer« (Ijssel “Lake”).

Please look here: http://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?tit ... 0603184856" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bestand:Marken.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

After having researched in their register of monuments, I haven’t found any indication, that there was ever before a windmill — because »Marken« was a fishermen island. The miller would become there one of the poorest citizen; because after having delivered the fish to the coast, they’ve transported from there all their need.

Here you could see their lighthouse, called »Paard of Marken« (»Horse of Marken«); maybe so baptized for the silhouette, if you see it by fog or mist:
http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bestand:Vu ... marken.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And here their church (build 1903-1904, architect: A.H.L. Kups) and some typical houses of the monument protected village; almost being constructed from wood (of fir, pine or spruce, almost transported to here from the German »Black Forest« area by raft transport):
http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bestand:Marken_village.JPG" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bestand:WL ... erf_16.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Almost all is »Heritage Protected«; its worth to go to there — see their fishermen’s wharfs …

Kind regards silverport

Thank you so much for the information.