cheech
Hero Member
- May 6, 2012
- 930
- 935
- Detector(s) used
- white's BeachHunter 300/DFX
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
Very nice pieces.
Both sets of marks are English Sterling silver hallmarks.
The cruet set would have held salt, pepper, mustard (the hot English variety) or other condiments. The hallmarks are slightly indistinct, but theyâre for the Sheffield Assay Office and the date letter looks to be a âGâ for 1874. It could conceivably be a distorted âCâ for 1870.
View attachment 1869748
All of the pieces in the set should be similarly marked (except those weighing less than 6 grammes), so perhaps the date letter is a bit clearer on one of the other pieces. You havenât shown a makerâs (sponsorâs) mark though. Have a closer look to see what you can find. There must be one for the hallmarks to be legal. If there isnât, then the marks are likely fake and the pieces wonât be Sterling.
The chatelaine is by or from William Moering (registered in London December 1892 and active from 1893-1902). The date letter is âTâ for 1894, London Assay Office.
View attachment 1869749
View attachment 1869750
The hallmark set includes the letter âFâ in an oval, indicating that this was an imported piece (the âFâ denotes âForeignâ). Imported pieces could not be sold as silver in Britain unless hallmarked to our standards (even if they had already been hallmarked in another country). It's not possible to say from an import mark where the piece was actually made unless it also has a set of marks for that country.