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Author	Topic: Hallmark Mystery
Tangles Posts: 6 Registered: Apr 2005	posted 04-15-2005 07:15 PM I have been sent a silver spoon (NSW Australia) from my family in Manchester, England. It has great sentimental value but we know little of its background.I'm sure the Hallmark will answer our questions. The first mark is R&B, second is S, third is E and some other mark, and fourthly a lamp. I'm not very good with photos on the net but I some ready to email. Help greatly appreciated. Cheers IP: Logged
adelapt Posts: 418 Registered: May 2003	posted 04-15-2005 07:52 PM Without a photo there are problems in definite attribution. It look though that your spoon is a product of the firm Roberts & Belk, Sheffield, established 1810 and taken over by Vander c1971. It is likely to be electroplated, and may date from the 20th century. IP: Logged
TBC Posts: 134 Registered: Jan 2005	posted 04-15-2005 09:13 PM Hi Tangles (and mystified members), Tangles emailed me this pic and I must confess I am stumped! I've asked, and hope Tangles will, post the pic on this site as I'm keen to learn too. Having an advantage on adelapt, in having seen a pic, I do not believe it is Roberts & Belk; but then again, what do I know. Please post a pic, Tangles. Sorry I could not help you - I'm sure other more knowledgeable members will recognise the marks. Best rgds to all, TBC IP: Logged
Tangles Posts: 6 Registered: Apr 2005	posted 04-16-2005 02:02 AM Thankyou to both of you. I will learn how and put photos for you to see ASAP. cheers IP: Logged
Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 Registered: Apr 93	posted 04-18-2005 06:45 AM Tangles, Good job on the photos and editing your post to include them. A close up of the marks would be helpful. Also your separate post announcing your success in posting photos was deleted. Let this post serve as the announcement. IP: Logged
Kimo Posts: 1627 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 04-18-2005 12:56 PM I agree on the intitial thought that it is silver plated rather than silver. British silver typically has very specific hallmarks that are quite different than these, and while it is hard to tell from the photo, it appears that the points of greatest wear such as the underside of the bowl and the underside of the end of the handle seem to be showing base metal peeking through the plating. IP: Logged
doc Posts: 728 Registered: Jul 2003	posted 04-18-2005 02:40 PM I also agree that this is likely silverplate-although difficult to read, my thought is that the third marking is EP, for electroplate. IP: Logged
Patrick Vyvyan Posts: 640 Registered: May 2003	posted 04-18-2005 07:45 PM Adalept is spot on - Samuel Roberts & Charles Belk of Sheffield. Although Roberts started the firm in 1810, his partnership with Belk dates to 1864. IP: Logged
Tangles Posts: 6 Registered: Apr 2005	posted 04-19-2005 07:22 AM What can I say but a huge thanks to all of you. My introduction to this site has been nothing short of AMAZING. Combining all of your comments has given me the info I wish to achieve. doc, you are quite correct, on closer inspection the third mark is definitely EP. Thankyou Patrick for bringing it all together. TBC, hope this has been a good learning curve for you. As an aside, just love your city, was there 18 months ago, somehow we aussies just fit in. Scott, thankyou for your patient direction, much appreciated. In closing I have some real silver that we bought in Chester, England, when time permits I would like to post it on the site. regards Tangles IP: Logged
Patrick Street Posts: 24 Registered: Sep 2003	posted 04-21-2005 07:43 PM The lamp was used by Roberts & Belk of Sheffield and appears on some of their silver items. I have seen it used on sterling silver cruets, for example. A picture of the lamp can be found in the book Electroplated Nickel Silver by George Mappin, 1999 ed at p151. IP: Logged
Tangles Posts: 6 Registered: Apr 2005	posted 04-25-2005 05:14 AM Thankyou Patrick, further great information that I will persue. cheers tangles IP: Logged
tmockait Posts: 963 Registered: Jul 2004	posted 04-25-2005 10:47 PM Tangles, I have a small collection of these sugar sifters, produced in silverplate during the late 19th and early twentieth century. They are quite ornate and fun to collect. Tom IP: Logged
Tangles Posts: 6 Registered: Apr 2005	posted 04-27-2005 07:30 AM Tom, Thank you for your additional information and confirmation of previous research. I am still amazed at the response to my initial inquiry. I will now continue to complete my family research book. cheers tangles IP: Logged
silvermycupoftea Posts: 2 Registered: Apr 2005	posted 04-27-2005 11:16 AM I just posted my question "Is that teapot silver?" in New Members Forum. It has similar marks as yours spoon. Also found other piece in Silverplate Forum with identical marks. According to Miller's Silver and Sheffield plate marks I quote after my guide: " "R&B" is hallmark the Sheffield Company establishes in 1809/10 as Furniss, Pole & Turner. Samuel Roberts and Charles Belk form partnership in 1885. Samuel retired in 1879 and was succeeded by Charles. The firm became a limited company in 1901 and still exists today. As Samuel Roberts & Charles Belk marks were registered in 1865 and 1878. Marks as Roberts & Belk Ltd were registered in 1906 and1938." IP: Logged

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