posted 06-29-2007 03:30 AM            

Like many of you, I like mysteries. Also, like many of you, I like to be able to solve them too!

A friend of mine recently showed me a small (9" long) covered dish that is marked on the bottom of the body and on the lip of the top with 3 identical marks. The piece looks late 19th or early 20th C..

The marks do not go together . The mark on the left, looks like it might be Portugal, the lion in the middle is a sad representation of Iran or London, and the third mark (crowned 'R') looks kind of like it is from Brazil, sort of...

Pseudo marks I have seen on other pieces, usually appear only once. Now.. I am pretty sure these are psuedo hallmarks, but from where, and why mark both body and lid identically. Thanks for the help..

Marc

posted 07-01-2007 11:53 PM            

Here are some photos. The first is a close up of the griffin finial..#2 is of a duck looking creature on the handle, and the third pic is looking down on the piece from above. I remember seeing the duck looking type of creature before, but I don't remember where.

Concerning the construction, the solder joints are clean, the piece is
made from sheet, is of normal weight, and has a cast finial. No hammer marks are visible.

Guessing I would say Portugal, or Italy.. southern Europe, but it is a guess.

Again, thanks for the help.

Marc

posted 07-02-2007 01:05 AM            

The lion's head mark is likewise definitely known to have been used by Rehfuss & Co. during the same time frame. It is thought to have been - more or less - a fineness mark used by the company to indicate that their silver met the legal standard.

Personally, I think that the lion's head was used by Refuss for .800 silver, in imitation of the Geneva .800 silver mark of 1815-1881, also a lion's head. The only problem with this theory is that I have no evidence that .800 silver was even legal in Bern at the time. The ancient standard of 11 deniers (or .916) certainly was, and most countries enacted legislation legalizing the lower standard. But I have yet to find specific reference that Bern did.

I should point out that in 19th century Switzerland each canton had its own silver standard and hallmarking laws. Only two cantons, however - Geneva and Neuchâtel - had civil assay offices which carried out the marking; in all the rest, including Bern, marking was the individual responsibility of each maker.

So most 19th century Swiss silver marks are a mad jumble of initials, numbers and symbols, not unlike their American counterparts, and may or may not be considered pseudo-hallmarks, since the marks probably did have some significance to the manufacturer.

I'd need a better photo of the first mark to know if it is recorded in the Rehfuss canon, but the other two are certain: Rehfuss & Co., Bern, Switzerland, mid-19th century. The squat, lobed form and that gryphon finial are certainly in keeping with other known works of Rehfuss of the period.

posted 07-10-2007 07:36 PM            

First, I would like to thank you, "blakstone", for the detailed information you have provided

My friend thinks I am getting ideas about her, not her silver, so this has to be the last time I ask about this neat Swiss piece.

I have taken close ups of the 'bird' mark, one from the bottom and the other from the rim of the lid.

Also, if you can recommend a book or two on swiss silversmiths or manufacturers, I would greatly appreciate it

Any ideas.

Many thanks as always.

Marc Cutcher