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Hi,

I came across this piece. It looks it might date back to the end of XVIII cent. The form of the jug reminds english ones, but it comes from the continental europe what the marks proove. They are shown below. I cannot identify these marks. One shows letter "p" (with the base split into two lines, so it looks like a bit like an anchor) with a crown over it. The other one is probably maker's mark AS. The third mark is too little, I couldnt have made a descent picture of it, maybe assayer's mark or a tax mark. Please help me to identify it and figure out where it comes from and when it was made.

The mark on the right appears to be the assayer's mark of António José de Sousa, 1818-1836, Porto [Oporto], Portugal, and that on the left the "AS" maker's mark of António José Soares da Silva, working in Porto in the first third of the 19th century.

How about a photo of the jug?

Thank you very much. You've been very helpful. Quite honestly I didn't expect such answer. Im not familiar with portugeese marks, much more often I deal with central and eastern europe marks. Here is the overall picture of the jug you asked for:



Thank you once more!

But what is the content of the little mark on the left side?

Hello »Stantheman«
Hello »blakstone«

»Stantheman«, what is the content of the little mark on the left side? May I request you, please describe their content too.

Past night when I’ve got notice from the question, I’ve had the same impression that the marks could be from Porto, in Portugal.

But I was too much tire out to make some search, a sounded analysis, and place then after a commentary.

Because »Stantheman« wrote only: »The third mark is too little, I couldn’t have made a descent picture of it, maybe assayer's mark or a tax mark«.

But it seemed to me then, that this more or less ignored mark could be one of the necessary “keys” for a more sounded analysis.

Actually I couldn’t confirm in full the findings — because it was maybe another assayer from Porto, and an actually unknown silversmith too?

Well also I had already in my mind a nearly similar imagination of the object — a lid protected water pitcher = here in the country a need: At least from spring times to the autumns. A lid protected one; here with a decorative flower for the thumb, to could lift the lid. Otherwise the flies … would spoil the water, we humans need. In case of missing lids, then there is in use a textile layer.

The »flutes« of the lower part of the water pitcher are typical for that time period of »Classicism« - but that was repeated later too.

The Assayer’s »zig-zag« was at least until the middle of XIX century usual in many areas of Europe.

May I request you, »Stantheman« to add in future questions all information you’ve — e.g. clear images of all visible marks, and at least one image of the entire object … If, as in this case you let us know, you couldn’t make a clear image of little marks, please then describe at least what you seem to see. Also almost very helpful are the dimensions, e.g. height, weight …

Kind regards silverport