www.925-1000.com

I can't even figure out the town hallmark ::: And is the maker's mark "BA" or...? ::: It's a teastrainer/sugarsifter with a gilt bowl and floral engraving :::

Hi,
The mark on the left is Latvian mark (1922 - 1939).
Regards

I read that many Russians went to Latvia from 1920-1935 and they brought their silver with them, therefore sometimes Russian silver is found with this "Latvian Re-Marking" hallmark ::: Seeing as there is a double-combination hallmark of the "84 + city" hallmarks, does anyone know where this piece was made? ::: Is the "city hallmark" for St. Petersburg, even though it is very difficult to see? :::

I've tried to find out who "BA" would be, but a lot of sources just say "Unknown Maker" or "Maker Not Identified" or words to that effect :::

The mark is unfortunately a smudge, but with some imagination I believe that the town mark is riding St. George for Moscow. This kind of control mark was used 1882-1899 (notches up and down). However, I cannot find a single master using BA in Moscow during that period and not either in St. Petersburg, neither with Latin nor Cyrillic letters.
Mind my asking but I would be interested in knowing what sources you have used?

Hi,

From PL
Two Moscow silversmiths with BA initials:

2273 - 2274 Vasily Agafonov Semenov (Василий Агафонов Семенов) 1895 - 1917

Attributed to him:


2275 - Vasily Andreiev Ivanovich (Андреев Василий Иванович) 1908 - 1917

Attributed to him:


The third BA is 823 Vasiliy Antonov in Kostroma,Krasnoe village
(Василии Антонов 1890 село Красное, Кострома)
Comments from two Russian forums contradict in regard of BA attribution, but definitely Moscow.
Try Google entering their names in Russian and then add `` серебро 84 `` behind the name.
Regards

Qrt.S gave time period for town mark, so the second master in Moscow can be excluded.
His BA appears with Kokoshnik.

Right, it could be Agafonov anticipating that the town mark really is Moscow but is it?

Most likely StGeorge but still not sure.
Try to clean the mark and take better close up.
Regards