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I saw two small trays at an antique market that look fairly old. The punching leads me to believe that it is Spanish silver, but I would like to know more. All information will be welcome.



Thanks for attention
Amena

Hi,
See here:
http://925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php ... on#p164513

The same mark on two trays ?
Regards

Hi
Thanks for the link. I had tried Monserrat without success
Honestly, it seems to me to see some differences. There is talk of Juan de Leon, here of C.Leon; there is talk of Cordoba, here of Monserrat, and also the shape of the lion seems a bit 'different.
Yes, the two trays are identical and even the punching is the same.
Regards

I may be phobic, but always suspicious when seeing identical marks on two silver items that survived together 250 years.Possible but unlikely.

Crístobal José de Leon was the secondary assayer in Córdoba from May 1855 until Sep 1881; the “C. LEON” mark is his, and the digits on top the date: (18)59 or (18)69. “A. Monserrat” is likely the maker, though who that might be I don’t know. This looks perfectly genuine to me.

I have to make a clarification.
In the picture I posted previously, the word MONSERRAT had been reduced. In the photos below I have kept the proportions.



It is clear that the C.LEON and MONSERRAT mark have the same size and the same font.
It seems a bit strange to me that the assayer and the maker have such a similar mark.
Unfortunately I photographed quickly and with little light and I have not photographed the back. Even to me the two trays seemed genuine and the handles are assembled with old looking screws.
Thanks anyway for every contribution.
Amena

Yes, the assayer's and maker's marks on Spanish silver can look very, very similar, particularly in the 19th century; without a definitive list of assayers or makers for a city it can be nigh impossible to tell which is which. Fortunately, there is a reasonably comprehensive list of Cordoba assayers and C. Leon's mark is well-recorded. I note, too, that the maker's mark appears to be "Ao Monsterrat": i.e., presumably "Antonio Monserrat".

Hi Blakstone
Many thanks for the full answer
Amena

Good morning. The rampant lion is the brand for the city of Córdoba. Monserrat in the silversmith and C. León is the assayer. Attached photos.
a greeting

Many thanks for the intricate details
Un saludo
Amena

Funkel - Can you tell us the source of your images? It looks like an interesting reference!

Claro como no

Punzones de a Platería Cordobesa
Dionisio Ortiz Juarez
Córdoba 1980
ISBN 84-7231-508-8

Regards