Letter R on the back of a Gorham Strasbourg Spoon
Letter R on the back of a Gorham Strasbourg Spoon
Does anyone know the significance of the letter “R” on the back of this Gorham Strasbourg teaspoon. It weighs 32g and is 5 7/8” long.
Re: Letter R on the back of a Gorham Strasbourg Spoon
Just to start, here’s Trev’s posting on Gorham Flatware Code Letters: viewtopic.php?p=108864&hilit=gorham+wei ... +R#p108864
Given that we don’t know when the piece was actually manufactured (other than “not earlier than circa 1897”), one might have to defer to that government chart from 1933 designating what “R” should mean? I believe Cheryl has noted that the codes (for weight) are rarely seen on Gorham in the 20th Century. If this was done much later it might explain the lack of any surrounding cartouche since those older punches or stamps may have been long retired? (On a side note, I posted about a Durgin piece in a pattern from 1911-on which also carried a presumed weight code and a retailing jewelers name. It seems possible that weight codes may have been used for some years after the turn of the century, perhaps only upon request?)
As far as date codes, that has been discussed with reference to use upon silverplated wares rather than Sterling and the letter “R” was never reached, being replaced after “Q” with picto symbols. (Unless, of course, someone finds an exception to the rule.)
Given that we don’t know when the piece was actually manufactured (other than “not earlier than circa 1897”), one might have to defer to that government chart from 1933 designating what “R” should mean? I believe Cheryl has noted that the codes (for weight) are rarely seen on Gorham in the 20th Century. If this was done much later it might explain the lack of any surrounding cartouche since those older punches or stamps may have been long retired? (On a side note, I posted about a Durgin piece in a pattern from 1911-on which also carried a presumed weight code and a retailing jewelers name. It seems possible that weight codes may have been used for some years after the turn of the century, perhaps only upon request?)
As far as date codes, that has been discussed with reference to use upon silverplated wares rather than Sterling and the letter “R” was never reached, being replaced after “Q” with picto symbols. (Unless, of course, someone finds an exception to the rule.)
Re: Letter R on the back of a Gorham Strasbourg Spoon
BTW…The government chart is in (troy?) ounces, presumably for a gross of a dozen (?) per weight standard.
Re: Letter R on the back of a Gorham Strasbourg Spoon
Thank you for the reply. I can only speculate about the meaning of the “R,” and that’s probably not going to be helpful. Just thought I would give the question a shot.
Re: Letter R on the back of a Gorham Strasbourg Spoon
:::::::::::: Seems to be struck using the same die-punch as seen on Whiting's Imperial Queen? :::::::::::::
:::::: Maybe right after Gorham purchased Whiting a new weight-marking system was implemented for whatever reason but it was short-lived? :::::
::::::::::: The font may have disturbed the aesthetic sensibilities of high-society flatware aficionados, so it was discontinued? ::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Re: Letter R on the back of a Gorham Strasbourg Spoon
:::: I see the US Government Contract (regarding flatware weights) now. :::::
:::: If this law came out in 1926, there were probably a few thousand pieces of Gorham & Whiting that had just been manufactured (or sitting in the factory warehouse waiting to be shipped) so to comply with the law a set of punches were hastily made with these letters "R" and "M" (in our examples) and stamped on the few thousand pieces in the factory in 1926 when the factory managers became aware of this new US Government Contract. :::::
::::: That would explain why our pieces seem to have a hastily-made (almost crude) stamp compared to the later pieces (see Trev's thread) that had the letters cast into the die of the spoon (or fork or whatever) before stamping? (those letters seem to have been added to the original die before stamping, at least to my eyes, they are part of the design and not hastily made with a slightly-crude punch (in our examples). :::::::::::
:::: If this law came out in 1926, there were probably a few thousand pieces of Gorham & Whiting that had just been manufactured (or sitting in the factory warehouse waiting to be shipped) so to comply with the law a set of punches were hastily made with these letters "R" and "M" (in our examples) and stamped on the few thousand pieces in the factory in 1926 when the factory managers became aware of this new US Government Contract. :::::
::::: That would explain why our pieces seem to have a hastily-made (almost crude) stamp compared to the later pieces (see Trev's thread) that had the letters cast into the die of the spoon (or fork or whatever) before stamping? (those letters seem to have been added to the original die before stamping, at least to my eyes, they are part of the design and not hastily made with a slightly-crude punch (in our examples). :::::::::::