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Which Brown's mark is this?

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Author	Topic: Which Brown's mark is this?
Silverpath Posts: 91 Registered: Jun 2020	posted 06-18-2022 06:41 PM Does anyone recognize the mark on this ladle? It's about 12.5 inches long and marked Brown twice, on the back of the stem and the back of the handle. Thanks! IP: Logged
ahwt Posts: 2334 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 06-21-2022 01:16 PM This is a small ladle also marked Brown. I have never found out who this Brown was. IP: Logged
ahwt Posts: 2334 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 06-21-2022 03:02 PM Your ladle has an interesting shoulder that may be a transitional type. IP: Logged
cbc58 Posts: 333 Registered: Aug 2008	posted 06-21-2022 03:24 PM Brown is a popular name in Rhode Island.. might be a place to look... IP: Logged
Silverpath Posts: 91 Registered: Jun 2020	posted 06-21-2022 06:15 PM Thanks for your thoughts! WEV has a dozen Browns in his directory; some of their marks are unknown and this could be one of those. They are mostly from MA, RI and NY. The prominent serifs and letter spacing of this mark appear distinctive. ahwt, that's a wonderful ladle! I love the early monos and they always seem like they could be identified, too.. IP: Logged
wev Moderator Posts: 4121 Registered: Apr 99	posted 06-21-2022 07:13 PM quote: Originally posted by ahwt: This is a small ladle also marked Brown. I have never found out who this Brown was. Winterthur has a pair of coffin handle tablespoons and a shoulderless oval end teaspoon with this unattributed mark. I have seen it perhaps a half dozen more times, always on pieces c 1800-1820. The letter forms are quite distinctive. I would think the OP mark is someone else again, but as said, there are a whole lot of Browns out there. IP: Logged
Silverpath Posts: 91 Registered: Jun 2020	posted 06-21-2022 08:30 PM Interesting, thanks. The piece appears early. Seems odd that early American silversmiths proudly marked their work but the history of the marks often did not survive. IP: Logged
ahwt Posts: 2334 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 06-21-2022 11:03 PM WEV thanks for that interesting information. I put a couple of extra pictures on to show how the silversmith followed the form of the cowrie shell with the silver rim. In this case the shell had an opening at one end that was just right for a pouring sprout. IP: Logged
Silverpath Posts: 91 Registered: Jun 2020	posted 06-22-2022 10:14 PM Thanks, ahwt, for images showing additional detail of the cowrie ladle. Very clever design and use of the shell! IP: Logged
ahwt Posts: 2334 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 06-23-2022 08:20 AM The Silversmith Brown that made these ladles paid attention to detail. He or she put what appears to be a bull-nosed edge on your ladle's handle and a chamfered edge on the shell ladle. Also the shoulder on your ladle is a step up from most and again shows an attention to a detail that makes the ladle more inviting. I'd like to find more of this silversmith's work. [This message has been edited by ahwt (edited 06-23-2022).] IP: Logged
wev Moderator Posts: 4121 Registered: Apr 99	posted 06-23-2022 09:10 PM I see nothing to indicate the makers of these two pieces were the same person past sharing a very common name. IP: Logged
ahwt Posts: 2334 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 06-23-2022 09:30 PM Then I have two smiths to look for. Perhaps that increases the odds of finding some. IP: Logged
Silverpath Posts: 91 Registered: Jun 2020	posted 06-24-2022 12:00 AM The two Brown marks look different to me, too. The letters of the cowrie ladle mark are more evenly spaced (especially the R and O). The R and W are not as well formed on the first ladle and all the serifs are oversized. The cowrie silversmith had better mark penmanship! [This message has been edited by Silverpath (edited 06-24-2022).] IP: Logged

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