http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q168 ... tware1.jpg
I believe the 800M mark, which is on all 12 pieces, is from Belgium, post 1869. Additionally, all 12 pieces have the French swan import mark, presumably because they were imported into France at some point after 1893 and sold at auction.
Also, all 6 forks, but none of the spoons, have a name on the back, "Buttner" -
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q168 ... tware2.jpg
All 6 forks and 3 of the spoons have a diamond-shaped mark with a creature, possibly St. Michael's dragon, holding an axe in one hand, and a shield in the other, and on the shield is a letter, and I think the letter is a "B." If the letter isn't a "B," then it's an "R," but "B" is more likely. Since this creature is strikingly similar to the city mark for Brussels ( Bruxelles ) pictured in Tardy, page 79-80, I wondered if the maker combined the historical city mark with the first letter of his name, "B" on the creature's shield for Buttner?? (or "B" on the creature's shield for Brussels??), to create his maker mark logo:
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q168 ... tware5.jpg
Two of the spoons have a maker's mark which looks like an "O" on the left and "M" on the right in a diamond, with a shield in the lower part, and on the shield is a diagonal slash, and then above that is either a lobster or a bird, but I'm thinking it's a lobster. I am not fortunate enough to have that mark photographed clearly - apologies.
The final spoon is the most interesting, as I actually think it's the oldest. It has a kite-shaped mark on it with what looks like an "R" on it. It could be a "B," but "R" is most likely. There is a pellet above the "R," and something below the "R," but the object below is small and faint and impossible to discern.
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q168 ... tware6.jpg
The construction of the tip (not pictured) of this spoon reflects the style in the first half of the 19th century when there was a flat, triangular area between the tip and the concave part of the spoon bowl. The other spoons don't have this construction. Also, this spoon has much more gold gilt than the other pieces, and it's the only piece monogrammed (not pictured) - the monogram is a beautiful, flowery "EW" -
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q168 ... tware3.jpg
I very much believe this was a set of flatware added to over time, and there probably were many, many more pieces. I would love to know the age and the maker and the maker's location. Thanks in advance for anything you can share about this beautiful set.
(admin photo edit - images too large - link only)
