posted 05-26-2004 12:06 PM              

Hi there,

I'm a complete novice, looking for some help dating and identifying a silver set I own, left to me by a friend. Family lore has it that this silver is pre 1800's, but I have no idea. Here is what I can describe:

The pitcher is quite ornate, with an oval base, a large handle, and the following markings on the bottom: left side, tiny unidentifiable mark, middle, an anchor in an outline, to the right of that is what looks like a tiny Gothic-style letter "B". Below those markings, it says "Sterling" and below that it says A8396. There is also a small mark on the left bottom of the pitcher that looks vaguely like half a Celtic cross, or maybe a hatchet?

The front of the pitcher is engraved (as are all the cups) with what looks like a dragon with wings and a curved beak (this marking is large, about an inch high) and the words "Disponendo me non mutando me" inside a fancy scroll.

The cups, which have the same dragon/bird engraving and motto on the front, are marked at the bottom with the following:

Left side: Sterling 925 (over) 1000.
Middle: The number 165
Right side: three small markings, of which I can only make out the far right one, which is a diamond outline with a fancy scroll-y letter "S" inside.

posted 05-26-2004 03:51 PM            

There is more information on this branch of the Montagues here: The Montague Millennium

posted 05-26-2004 07:01 PM            

Gorham used pattern numbers prefixed by an "A" to indicate sterling production hollowware related to dining. Gorham started to used sterling silver in 1868 and began to mark pieces with a date symbol - I imagine the "half Celtic cross" is this mark.

posted 05-27-2004 12:21 AM            

Here are the marks on the bottoms of the goblets, if I may impose to ask for a little more help:

And here is the 4th mark from the pitcher:

As for the crest/motto -- would a family buy their silver from a general manufacturer and then have the crest engraved after the fact, or would the silver be made-to-order, so to speak?

Thank you!

posted 05-27-2004 03:17 AM            

Suspect that your photo of the goblet marks is upside down, should be B/lion head/S for the Baltimore Silversmiths (founded 1903), later Heer-Schofield. According to Rainwater, the B was changed to an H around 1905. The date mark on the Gorham pitcher appears to be the 1916 battle-axe.

Cheryl