www.925-1000.com

Can someone help identify Demitasse spoon & Claw tong please. I have 12 spoons and the tongs in a velvet box with S. Hyman & Co. Chicago on inside of box. The makers mark looks somewhat like a bowtie. Any help would be appreciated.

The mark you show looks "like" a Dominick & Haff, but the center should be an open circle. (Do all the pieces look like this one?). The box on the left would normaly read 925 and the diamond would have four numbers for the year. Reed and Barton took over their interests in 1928. Someone may know if they continued the mark without the info inside. At this point, another answer may exist for your identity question. This is just a possible.

I'll double check all the other spoons to see if the marking is clearer.

Thanks for the lead though.

Here's the Dominick & Haff mark from this site for comparison: http://www.925-1000.com/americansilver_D.html

Some detail of S. Hyman & Co.:

S. Hyman & Co., Diamond Merchants and Jewellers, State and Madison Streets.—No historical review of the rise and progress of the representative houses in each branch of mercantile activity would be complete without careful reference to the house of Messrs. S. Hyman & Co., the leading firm of diamond-merchants and jewellers in Chicago. The house was founded by Mr. Charles Wendell in 1859, first being located at No. 87 Lake Street. The business steadily grew in importance, and in 1866 Mr. S. Hyman, the respected senior of the present firm, entered into co-partnership with Mr. Wendell, under the name and style of Wendell & Hyman, the new firm at the same time removing to enlarged premises at No. 99 Lake Street, where they remained, prosperous, and energetically extending their trade, until the calamitous fire of October, 1871, in a few hours had reduced their establishment to ashes. Nothing daunted, the partners sought out other premises, and with difficulty secured a temporary office on Wabash Avenue, near Harman Court, whence they shifted to Wabash Avenue, corner of Jackson Street. At length, in 1877, the concern was finally removed to its present spacious and splendid quarters, State, corner of Madison Street. This year was also the date of the dissolution of the old house of Wendell & Hyman, Mr. Hyman becoming sole proprietor, and thus continuing until 1877, when he formed a co-partnership with Mr. M. H. Berg, under the existing firm-name. The members of the firm are authorities in all that pertains to the jewelry trade. They are experts in the diamond market, and bring to bear the widest possible range of practical experience, coupled with an intimate knowledge of the wants of the public. Their stock is the largest and choicest in Chicago, and is set off and displayed in their magnificent show-rooms in a manner to reflect the greatest credit upon their good taste and sound judgment. The visitor to their establishment is at once favorably impressed with the thorough system of organization observable. The finest French walnut and mahogany show-cases, extending in double rows for 150 feet in extent, with a handsome semicircle in front, while upon the right is an open display upon a raised dais, a unique feature, and duly appreciated by customers. The efficient lighting of this elegant show-room is effected by means of Siemens' incandescent lights, throwing a purer and more brilliant fight than that of gas produced by the ordinary process, and by means of which the color of gems can be accurately observed. The limits of this work do not afford space in which to describe the contents of the various departments of Messrs. Hyman & Co.'s establishment; suffice it to say that they have long made a specialty of diamonds, importing large consignments of the choicest pure-water brilliants, including many large solitaires, all the way from one carat up to twenty or thirty in size, and some of which represent small fortunes. They have the largest and finest stock of diamond jewelry in the city, and are prepared to promptly mount stones in any desired fashion. In precious stones also they have achieved merited distinction, and show a magnificent stock of rubies, emeralds, sapphires, pearls, opals, turquoises, alexandrites. etc., etc., and possess many matched stones of rare beauty which cannot be readily duplicated. Their facilities for the securing of the finest diamonds and precious stones are unsurpassed. They personally make their selections with the greatest care and discrimination; and their splendid stock is the result, containing as it does more perfect steel-white gems than any other collection in the West. Their prices are moderate, based solely on the intrinsic value of the stones and settings; and purchasers of diamond jewelry from this firm make one of the best investments of their money possible. The firm is also foremost in exhibiting seasonable styles and novelties in solid gold jewelry, and their business is yearly growing in magnitude. Their line of fine watches is unrivalled; and in this department, as in all others, absolute satisfaction is guaranteed both as to price and quality. Mr. Hyman is one of Chicago's oldest established and certainly best known jewellers. He has been a permanent resident of this city for thirty-one years past, and has during that period achieved the highest of reputations for his honorable methods and sterling integrity. Mr. Berg is a native of New York, and has been identified with the best class of the jewelry trade from his first entering commercial life, and his career has abundantly demonstrated his talents and superior executive abilities.

Source: Origin, Growth, and Usefulness of the Chicago Board of Trade - 1885

Trev.

WOW! THanks so very much...

Definitely Dominick & Haff! Thanks all for your help.