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Unknown maker L. Le Gross

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Author	Topic: Unknown maker L. Le Gross
cbc58 Posts: 333 Registered: Aug 2008	posted 08-22-2018 10:23 AM Wondering if anyone has information on this maker / retailer. Can not find in any books or online. 6.5" spoon. IP: Logged
asheland Posts: 935 Registered: Nov 2003	posted 08-22-2018 10:47 AM Not sure on the maker, but that shell design is interesting! IP: Logged
ahwt Posts: 2334 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 08-22-2018 08:55 PM That mark/name is not in any of my books. I agree it is a has very pretty bowl design, IP: Logged
cbc58 Posts: 333 Registered: Aug 2008	posted 08-25-2018 11:42 AM How common is it to come across spoons or other silver where the maker is unknown or there is no information listed about them anywhere? Amazing how many silversmiths/retailers there are. IP: Logged
wev Moderator Posts: 4121 Registered: Apr 99	posted 08-25-2018 09:44 PM It is actually quite common. In the time of your piece, such things could be ordered up by the dozen or the gross from wholesale houses. A jeweler (or whatever sort of merchant) in a city/town/village/hamlet would then have a punch made of his name and stamp the pieces as needed, both as a guarantee of quality and advertisement. I would be willing to bet that today we know of less than three quarters of the 19th century businesses that retailed silver goods. If it was nearer half I wouldn't be surprised in the least. IP: Logged
asheland Posts: 935 Registered: Nov 2003	posted 08-27-2018 11:46 AM Good to see you back, WEV! IP: Logged
cbc58 Posts: 333 Registered: Aug 2008	posted 08-28-2018 10:25 AM Thanks WEV. I didn't realize the number of unknown/undocumented silver sources was so high. That's what makes collecting all the more interesting and if you can track down and document the origin and history of one of these unknowns - it would be like finding a new star in the sky. IP: Logged
agleopar Posts: 850 Registered: Jun 2004	posted 09-03-2018 01:37 PM With that name I might look north across the border? Also by the shoulders and shape I think it falls somewhere in the 1820-40 range?? Smarter folks might narrow that down or correct me... A last thought is that while it is possible for a retailer to mark articles bought from makers it is not always that easy to do especially with this type of punch (incuse). It needs to be "set" after stamping, that means gently hammered and then polished flat on both sides. It would take a qualified smith and the right tools to do this. The other kind of punch (intaglio?? I'm not sure as I do not use them) takes a lighter blow and does not need setting, only a light polishing on the other side and both could be done by an intelligent worker. This is just to say that I think this spoon was marked by its maker... IP: Logged
ahwt Posts: 2334 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 09-03-2018 10:24 PM agleopar, Thanks for the interesting information. IP: Logged
cbc58 Posts: 333 Registered: Aug 2008	posted 09-04-2018 11:55 AM Agleopar, thank you for the insight. I was leaning toward Canadian or possibly New Orleans and had gone as far as researching ship passenger roles and found a LeGross family that arrived in New Orleans in the early 1800's. Nothing after that without digging into ancestry records. I have used up my allowance for book purchases this year but at some point would like to get a book on Canadian Silversmiths. You already know this - and an experienced collector was explaining to me how marks are placed on items and it is my understanding that it is better to do it when an item is warm vs. cold. Also the whole area of "mark dies" is interesting because of the process and effort used to make them. Many were hand-made, hand-carved -- and I wonder if there are any floating around out there. [This message has been edited by cbc58 (edited 09-05-2018).] IP: Logged

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