posted 12-22-2004 07:58 PM            

That being said, I can't find any Dutch maker "CT" as you describe. Could it be "GT"? If so, then the "suitcase" is actually an old style press, and the mark - "G/press/T", in an oblong hexagon - that of Gerardus Coenraad Abraham Thiensma of Amsterdam, working 1820-1831.

I know you said you were a novice, but perhaps you (and other members) might find interesting the following bit of trivia regarding the shape of Dutch maker's marks during the 1st half of the 19th Century.

At the beginning of the century, the Netherlands was part of Napoleon's Empire and used the French marks of the time, so Dutch maker's marks were required to be in the form of a lozenge. After Napoleon was defeated, a new Dutch law of 1814 decreed that Dutch maker's marks were to be perfectly square (though the old French-style marks were permitted to be used until they were worn out.)

Silversmiths balked at this - the square shape being impractical for small work - so from 1817 on they were allowed to use a rectangular mark for smaller items.

The oblong hexagon mark you describe was introduced in 1822. It was reserved for pieces which had lower standard silver solder on them, though the bulk of the piece - 99.8% by weight - had to be of legal fineness. (Apparently some Dutch silversmiths were taking advantage of a loophole in the law which made no restrictions on the use of the lower standard solder and were using it to excess.)

G. C. A. Thiensma, as did most early 19th Century silversmiths, had all three marks- square, rectangle and oblong hexagon - available for his use.

Dutch marking laws were revised in 1853 and no provision was made for the shape of maker's marks, but most continued with the traditional shapes and their respective uses.

Much later, importer's marks were given specific shapes corresponding to the city of the importer, but I'll stop there, since I suspect I've already said more than anyone might find helpful or, for that matter, interesting. :-)

posted 12-22-2004 10:09 PM            

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posted 12-23-2004 09:48 AM            

Maurice

You should post the history of the cup, quite interesting.”

I think that solves the mystery. Many novices miss the marks on French pieces as they don’t know where to look. The same is even true of English pieces although I have always thought you would have to be visually impaired in that case.