Vienna chamberstick - Heinrich Starke?

[AG2012]

Chamberstick, made in Vienna, second half 19th century, Dianakopf with ``A`` and two additional ``A`` punches on the handle, maker’s mark H-S in a rectangular punch with canted corners. Pheasant candle extinguisher with the same marks. Can it be Heinrich Starke? It is 7 oz. with the extinguisher.
For easier search:
A pair of Austro-Hungarian silver one/four-light candelabra with ``maker’s mark H-S in a rectangular punch with canted corners`` were on auction elsewhere and attributed to Heinrich Starke with the quote: ``For the maker's mark see Waltraud Neuwirth, Wiener Silber 1781-1866, Vienna 2002, p173.``
Unfortunately, I lost the book when moving.
In short, is the maker Heinrich Starke?
Thanks.

[joris]

No, definitely not the mark of Heinrich Starke, whose mark has no dot between the letters. There are two marks on p. 173 of the Neuwirth book, one of which has normal "sharp" corners, and the other is a possible attribution to Starke, and might have rounded or angled corners, but is worn--and neither one has the central dot.

The mark does, however, correspond with that of Hermann Südfeld, who produced tablewares, church silver, and general-use items (Gebrauchsgegenstände - I'm not quite sure what to call that in English, but I'm sure that you will understand :-) However, he took control of the factory (from the previous owner Bächer) in 1883, and I'm not sure why a piece after this date would need a separate "A" mark for Vienna. Does it have a post-1872 Dianakopf with the "A" in front of her lips?

Just for the sake of completeness, there is another similar mark for Heinrich Sundheimer, who seems to have specialized in silver chains, however, so we can probably exclude him.

[AG2012]

Does it have a post-1872 Dianakopf with the "A" in front of her lips?

YES

I have seen separate small ``A`` on silver made in Vienna at the time.It seems it had nothing to do with ``small items``in those cases.Let`s have in mind the handle was a separate part before soldering,meaning tax had to be paid on handle weight,too.The same punch is seen on detachable small parts,belonging to composite items;like in several candle extiguishers I have;maker`s mark and small ``A``.Interestingly,not much is known about it - will search further on all Vienna silver I have and tell you if there is any consistency with it.Probably masters took unfinished items to the assay office and soldered them later.
As for ``Gebrauchsgegenstände`` I really cannot tell where this chamberstick belongs now.Consumer choices are driven by utilitarian and hedonic considerations.I happen to have electricity, but sometimes there is no power and the candle is needed not to miss the toilet door in the middle of the night,so,it is still ``gebraucht`` :-)
So,it should be Hermann Südfeld if you found it - THANK YOU SO MUCH.
Freundliche Grüße