posted 03-07-2010 12:25 AM            

I need to introduce myself and spill the beans on why I am wanting to be involved in your group.

I have been collecting silver for about 20 years or so and have reached a point where I have pretty much focused my collecting to American coin and to English Georgian silver. I probably have more English silver than anything else as much of it is still reasonably easy to collect, at least small items.

I am like many others self taught through trial and error and by accessing as many books as can be afforded and by of course referring to sites like this to glean information.

I do sell on E-bay once in a while but am not interested in using this forum to promote any of my sales. I am interested in learning about the shiny stuff sitting on my shelves.

I think I may some knowledge to offer but mostly want to learn.

Now, I hope to continue posting and asking questions, and getting responses in return.

I appreciate the hard work that those who moderate put into an effort like this and hope to have a collegial relationship with all involved.

One of the last posts in coin silver about the coffin end ladle brought to mind this brandy warmer with the marks as shown "TR" or "TP" with the additional little leg which is difficult to see but is like the RT in the ladle post. I to have been wondering if this mark is TP or TR and if the line that can be subtly seen is the tail of an R. If it is TP it could be Thomas Pons or Thomas Phillips and if TR maybe Thomas Revere.

Any ideas?
RN

posted 03-16-2010 01:53 AM            

Since there is no crack visible in the Channel Islands mark, it had not yet occurred when the spoon was made, and your piece therefore would be later than the spoon. It is a nice piece, too - is there any provenance for it?

posted 03-16-2010 11:31 AM            

I wish I had some provenance on this but I picked it up at an antique mall in Missouri, it was being sold as plate and was a bit grungy but it just had that "look" about it and when I saw the initials and felt it I just had to have it.

I am slightly disappointed in this not probably being American but if it is a Channel Island piece then I am truly delighted as what are the odds of finding a piece in a Missouri antique mall?

Any other input would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Roger

posted 03-16-2010 12:52 PM            

The little dimple under the spout seems to be a common form on these uncommon bandy warmers. Ellis-Barker made one just like yours and they seemed to copy the antique ones faithfully.

posted 03-16-2010 03:58 PM            

Sorry that your brandy warmer is not exactly what you were hoping for, but I think knowing it is possibly Channel Islands is perhaps even more exciting.

Regards,
Kimo
Contributing Editor

posted 03-17-2010 03:00 PM            

Yes I too have looked through Jackson's and didn't see anything close.

I have not had much exposure to Channel Island silver and now that I am looking around for information it seems there is a paucity of it.

Roger

posted 03-17-2010 11:40 PM            

I thought that you would enjoy seeing the mark in Richard Mayne’s book “Channel Islands Silver” The copy that I have was published by Phillimore & Col Ltd. Shopwyke Hall, Chichester, Sussex in 1985. This book is readily available in the used book market and is a very informative book.

posted 03-18-2010 07:35 AM            

A drawn illustration of this mark is shown in "Silver in the Channel Islands", Cohen & Bird, Jersey Museum Services, no date (maybe c2002), but more recent than Mayne. To quote the text with the mark:

"This mark appears on a basting spoon c1780 and a miniature teapot both previously ascribed to a Jersey maker.However this mark is that of Thomas Peard of Penryn, Cornwall, 1731-1745. A brandy saucepan and communion plate by him are known, as is a Communion cup at Budock, near Penryn, made in 1735. Married at Budock in 1743, Peard was registered at Exeter Assay Office. Thomas Purse of Baltimore, 1776-1823, used a similar mark"

posted 03-19-2010 08:42 AM            

Thank you for the pictures of the mark from Mayne, I agree they appear to be the same. I will start looking for the book to purchase.

The attribution to Thomas Peard is interesting. I would be happy if this were an early 1730's or 40's piece. What do others think of the Thomas Purse possibility? To me the mark is almost an exact match to Peard, if it wasn't for the crack in the punch. When I get my computers back up so that I can post pictures again I promise to do so.

Again, thanks so much to everyone for their time and input.

Roger

posted 03-21-2010 10:56 PM            

Thanks again. Roger

posted 03-22-2010 10:37 AM            

Silver test marks where an assay office gouged up a bit of metal to test - the scratches you show in the photo are not such a mark though, since those test marks typically look like a deep zig zag or zipper.

Inventory marks - by either the shop that was selling the object, or by the owner. The purpose of either was simply to keep track of it and prove ownership if it were ever in question.

Pawn shop marks - silver was frequently one of the first things pawned when an owner came on hard times. Over the centuries pawn shops have scratched things on silver like their own inventory numbers and dates when something was due to come off pawn (if you do not redeem your pawn after so many days - typically 120 these days - the pawned object becomes the property of the pawn shop which then sells it to recover the loan for which the object was used as collateral).

Assay office scratch weights - sometimes a silver assay office scratched a weight of the piece of silver on the bottom of things they assayed. Though sometimes when you see a weight scratched on the bottom it is simply the marking of an owner or a seller who marks it to remember the weight so they know the bullion value.

posted 05-05-2015 06:08 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Roger Nevling:
[26-1965]

I need to introduce myself and spill the beans on why I am wanting to be involved in your group.

I have been collecting silver for about 20 years or so and have reached a point where I have pretty much focused my collecting to American coin and to English Georgian silver. I probably have more English silver than anything else as much of it is still reasonably easy to collect, at least small items.

I am like many others self taught through trial and error and by accessing as many books as can be afforded and by of course referring to sites like this to glean information.

I do sell on E-bay once in a while but am not interested in using this forum to promote any of my sales. I am interested in learning about the shiny stuff sitting on my shelves.

I think I may some knowledge to offer but mostly want to learn.

Now, I hope to continue posting and asking questions, and getting responses in return.

I appreciate the hard work that those who moderate put into an effort like this and hope to have a collegial relationship with all involved.

One of the last posts in coin silver about the coffin end ladle brought to mind this brandy warmer with the marks as shown "TR" or "TP" with the additional little leg which is difficult to see but is like the RT in the ladle post. I to have been wondering if this mark is TP or TR and if the line that can be subtly seen is the tail of an R. If it is TP it could be Thomas Pons or Thomas Phillips and if TR maybe Thomas Revere.

Any ideas?
RN

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