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tline3open  WW Cary mark

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Author Topic:   WW Cary mark
doc

Posts: 728
Registered: Jul 2003

iconnumber posted 09-12-2005 04:14 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for doc     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote

I just purchased a fiddle handled serving spoon with the mark W.W. Cary in a rectangular punch and cannot find reference to the maker in any of my resource books. Photo not handy at the moment, but I could get one later this week. Just curious if anyone has any knowledge of the maker.

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ahwt

Posts: 2334
Registered: Mar 2003

iconnumber posted 09-12-2005 09:58 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ahwt     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Norman Mack in his book on Missouri silver notes that a William W. Cary had a jewelry store in Alton, Illinois by 1836. He sold his business to his nephew Joseph W. Cary in 1870 and Joseph had a shop in St. Louis, Missouri. William W. Cary was born in Middle Haddam, Connecticut and his shop was opposite the Franklin House, Alton.
Alton is a small town on the Mississippi River just above where the Missouri river joins the Mississippi River. St. Louis and St. Charles are just to the south of Alton.

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doc

Posts: 728
Registered: Jul 2003

iconnumber posted 09-13-2005 08:24 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for doc     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote

Thank you. I don't have much call for Missouri silver books here in New England, so I appreciate the help!

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wev
Moderator

Posts: 4121
Registered: Apr 99

iconnumber posted 09-13-2005 07:56 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for wev     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I would appreciate a picture of the mark for my silversmiths project, if you can get one at good resolution.

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doc

Posts: 728
Registered: Jul 2003

iconnumber posted 09-14-2005 09:04 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for doc     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I'd be happy to. I'll email you one this weekend.

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ahwt

Posts: 2334
Registered: Mar 2003

iconnumber posted 09-14-2005 10:55 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for ahwt     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote

Here is one mark that William Cary used. Norman Mack states that no marks for his son have been found.

Before Mack's book was published the only reference I had to W.W.Cary was on a one page copy of a listing entitled Coin silver Missouri makers. Cary was located in Lexington, Missouri in 1843 on this listing. This list was given to me by a dealer from Kansas City and I do not know who compiled it and the basis for putting Cary in Lexington is not known to me. Mack cites an Alton directory of 1866-69 for Cary's location in Alton.

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doc

Posts: 728
Registered: Jul 2003

iconnumber posted 09-14-2005 01:51 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for doc     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
My mark is identical to the one shown. wev, is this mark clear enough for you, or do you need another?

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bascall

Posts: 1629
Registered: Nov 99

iconnumber posted 06-26-2008 03:37 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for bascall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Hopefully nobody minds; but just for the sake of detail, here is a May 23, 1853 notice from the Daily Alton Telegraph: Removal.- W. W. Cary has removed his Watch and Jewelry establishment to State Street nearly opposite the Franklin House.

In the 1880 U S Federal Census for Sacremento, California, there is a W W Cary who was born in Connecticut in about 1820 and is listed as a jeweler.

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bascall

Posts: 1629
Registered: Nov 99

iconnumber posted 06-27-2008 04:06 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for bascall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
An additional bit of information about W W Cary. One source sites a Cary, Hawley & Co in business in Alton, Illinois until 1869. The 1870 U. S. Federal Census for Alton, Illinois lists both gentleman, William W Cary who was by then listed as a retired jeweler and George Hawley who was a jewerly merchant.

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argentum1

Posts: 602
Registered: Apr 2004

iconnumber posted 06-27-2008 02:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for argentum1     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Welcome to the world of 'how many people had that name at any given time'.

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bascall

Posts: 1629
Registered: Nov 99

iconnumber posted 06-27-2008 04:21 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for bascall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Yes and then there's the Careys, Carrys and even Caseys that match W W Cary convincingly. Also Bigelow and Olive Lary in Portland, Connecticut who can be mistaken for , and probably rightfully so, William W Cary's parents.

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