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Birmingham Hallmark ID PN? R

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Author	Topic: Birmingham Hallmark ID PN? R
krimas Posts: 1 Registered: Dec 2004	posted 12-22-2004 08:29 PM Hello, Wonderful group! I have a pin with the following hallmarks. P.N.?, Anchor, Left facing full lion and R. I have been looking all over the net and think I've figured out all but the P.N. Love the search part of this business, like a puzzle. Thanks in advance, Kris IP: Logged
Clive E Taylor Posts: 450 Registered: Jul 2000	posted 12-23-2004 02:45 PM OK Kris , lets look at it in the approved manner. First assess your opinion of the article - what date do YOU think it might be ? Georgian , Victorian , early twentieth century? Go first by style , but remember that some styles came back ! Think function - when was this type of pin used ? Now look at the assay marks. The Anchor and the Lion tell us that it claims to be English silver, assayed in Birmingham. Note the CLAIMS- Birmingham marks were faked in the 19th century . So cannot be earlier than 1773. There appears to be no Head of Queen Victoria or Kings George or William so it should not date from the 1785 -1890 period when duty was payable. Now look closely at the Lion .Look into his eyes ! If you can see both of them , so his face is looking at you ( you should also be able to see both ears) then he is a Lion Passant Guardant which marks the piece as 1773 - 1784. (the lion changed in 1874) . By Murphy's Law the Lion will be so indistict you will not be able to tell ! But we know we can eliminate the 1785 - 1890 period anyhow . If the outline of the lion punch has what can only be described as a nipple on the bottom edge, then he is pre 1950. Now we approach the letter R withe some idea as to where to search for our date. Look at the style and case of the letter, and again the punch shape. Then see if it fits your probable period in one of the silver reference books. Then, having decided on the probable date , and ONLY then, should we try to establish the mysterious PN? mark.This will be the maker, or rather the person responsible for having it assayed. I now have to admit that even the Birmingham silversmiths book does not list or show any P N or PN ? Mind you that book is no-where near complete so I think it unlikely that you will find it , although the Pepper & Hope 1960 mark looks a worthy suspect and there was a R date letter in 1966/67 in what can be descibed as capital comic script ! Usually with Birmingham a letter to the Birminghasm Assay Office , P.0. 151, Newhall Street , BIRMINGHAM , B3 1 SB , UK with a GOOD photo of ALL the marks, plus a photo of the item for their museum will usually be answered - but only if you show you have exhausted the process describe,above. Yes it's a detective chase, usually with red herrings, great pleasure - but very little sex ! Happy hunting Clive IP: Logged
tmockait Posts: 963 Registered: Jul 2004	posted 12-29-2004 03:07 PM Kris, Assuming that your piece is post 1890, there are a handful of years for which the date letter "R" was used. If it is a capital "R", it could be 1941-2, 1966-67, or 1991. If it is a small "r", it could be 1916-17 or 1891-92. Good luck, TM IP: Logged

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