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Hi, I'm trying to identify the maker FGW for my sterling silver tankard which has the date mark for 1920 and was made in Birmingham. See below. I haven't been able to find any references for this maker and would appreciate any information someone may have. Thanks!

Hi and welcome to the forum

Unfortunately FGW does not appear in any published references so must, for now, remain unknown.

Phil

Thanks Phil, appreciate your follow-up.

Hello Mistermilk
F.G.W in a cut cornered rectangular punch= Frederick George Warriner, registered as 'School Teacher (metalwork)'; Shenley Lane, Birmingham; Registered 2 punches on 20th November 1944. Date letter of your tankard would be 'V' for 1945-6 not 1920
I hope this helps
Kind regards
Craig

::::: Was this silversmith associated with the Birmingham Guild of Handicraft which seems to have been operational (albeit under another name) until as late as 1950 ("The name was still shown in directories until 1950 as "The Birmingham Guild Ltd., Architectural & Decorative Metalworkers", the addresses being Grosvenor Road West and Sherbourne St., B16.")? :::::

::::: The engraving on the tankard seems to have something to do with the tradition of artistic metalworking, one figure seems to be next to an anvil, and is the other figure holding an artists' color palette (the board where all the paints are placed, ready to be mixed by the brush)? :::::

The engraving on the tankard is the coat of arms of the city of Birmingham so it is likely that it was made as a commissioned presentation piece and does not signify anything in relation to the maker.

Phil

"By 1930 the city corporation felt that the design looked too old fashioned and adopted a new depiction designed by the Birmingham School of Art.

As there were doubts about the heraldic correctness of the new design, a new painting was obtained from the College of Arms in 1936 incorporating the changes, but still conforming to the 1889 blazon or technical description."

Cuznerfan wrote: ↑Thu Aug 03, 2023 9:38 am Hello Mistermilk
F.G.W in a cut cornered rectangular punch= Frederick George Warriner, registered as 'School Teacher (metalwork)'; Shenley Lane, Birmingham; Registered 2 punches on 20th November 1944. Date letter of your tankard would be 'V' for 1945-6 not 1920
I hope this helps
Kind regards
Craig

Thank you - that's great information. The 1945 date mark makes sense given the tankard has a 1945 florin set into the lid (see below). Aside from the Birmingham Coat of Arms on one side, it also has the Australian Coat of Arms on the other which points to it being a presentation piece as suggested by Phil. Likely to be related to the end of WW2 I imagine. Do you know if FGW created many other pieces - he must have had significant previous silversmithing experience. Thanks again!