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Does anyone recognise the SS and birds head marks on this brooch. This brooch looks like it has to by by Hoffman and the Wiener Werkstatte but it seems to carry German not Austrian marks? Thank you

Hi Peartree

I assume you are aware the item carries a set of German marks.
http://www.925-1000.com/Fgerman_marks_a1884.html
So purity (900) half moon and crown.
The "SS" must be the makers mark, while I assume the mark below is not German, but an export or an import mark.
I recommend to clean the marks carefully and post pictures of the cleaned marks. This may ease identification.

Regards

Jörg

Yes, thank you. I am told Germany did not have import marks and used the same mark as for domestic assay. Hence, asides identifying the SS maker, I think the key is to identify the birds head mark and to identify if that is an export mark, for example.

It seems the bird mark is only partially visible, I don't know if it is the photography or if as Joerg suggests because it has stuff in it. Have you tried to clean it out? I soften a toothpick by chewing on the end and use a little silver polish.
Maurice

Thank you. The brooch is in transit and I will repost with cleaned marks in a week or so. May be the birds head will turn out to be an illusion! The beak is starting to look like a scratch.

Hi

I somehow expect an Austrian Import mark. See here:
http://www.925-1000.com/Faustria_03.html

We well see when you cleaned it and posted some Pictures.

Regards

Jörg

Joerg, that's what I thought too, but the spacing seems wrong and the 4 is missing. We shall see.
Maurice

I will post the marks the moment I have the item cleaned up. Might be a few weeks. Thank you for the advice.

Shown below are further images of the marks on the back of the brooch - the mystery mark is shown both ways up. Also shown are images of further marks to the pin. One of these is pretty clearly SS as for the main marks (though the photo is not so clear) and I assume to be the (unknown) maker. Of the other two tiny marks, one looks like C7, the other looks to be too weak a mark to determine.
I would welcome all views. Thank you very much.

It is possible to interpret the "birds head" mark as a rabbits head, facing to the left with pointed ear(s). Also, a German Pforzheim maker, Karl Kunst, made jewellery in the manner of Wiener Werkstatte, if that prompts any fresh ideas.
Thank you

Hello all!
Now, it's obvious, the rabbit mark a czech and slovakian silver mark.
Check here: http://www.925-1000.com/foreign_marks.html
Best regards!
Krisztián

Almost I forgot to mention.
From 1868 to 1921 in the Austro-Hungarian monarchy the assay office of Eger (czech) was C7. I cannot identify in your picture, but it is possible, that is an austro-hungarian import mark in the pin. I recommend, try to compare to this:
http://www.925-1000.com/Faustria_02.html
and this
http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic ... adt#p85051
Best regards!
Krisztián

Thank you, thank you, thank you! That is really helpful. Do you have a view whether this is a Czech piece with a German import mark (ie the moon / crown mark), or the other way round? I see Eger is right on the current German border.

Thanks again

Anthony

Hello Anthony!
I think, your piece made in Germany, then went to Eger. My guess: the maker is "s.s" somewhere in Germany. When the brooch arrived to the Austro-hungarian monarchy, they stamped the pin with the c7, and the other mark. I still suggest, try to compare the mark to the austro-hungarian import marks. Then later the brooch was remarked in the Czechoslovakian republic.
Best regards!
Krisztián