Brand new to the forum and very excited to have found this site. Spent the better part of the day yesterday reading the great advice and fantastic finds and can't believe I'm just now finding this.
Hope it's okay if I jump in with a question. I don't know if this item has a lot of value but it's certainly been my favorite thrift store find so far (2nd Avenue) and I'd love to learn more about it.
It's a narrow rimmed pewter plate engraved with an unidentified armorial crest on the front (all hand done). The rim is partially decorated with worn floral scrolls. The reverse has been struck with several unidentified marks. The symbol that is repeated three times I've identified as French and appears to indicate the year 1715. From what I can tell early pewter makers tended to use nonsensical method of stamping in order to more closely resemble silver makers. The actual makers mark appears to be the OM in a rectangle with what looks like an animal, possibly a lion.
As far as the crest I've found nothing though someone suggested it might be ecclesiastical due to the cross but like the early pewter's marks, these types of crests appear to be a free for all as far as what was used and by whom.
I'd love to know if my research is correct and if this plate has any value. There is a book out there called Poncoins d'Etain which was written in the 1970's which appears to contain the bulk of information known about French pewter (which isn't much) but I have not been able to find a reasonable copy (let alone one in the States). My identification of the year mark actually came from a screen print someone generously posted online from this book.
Thanks in advance all!
Jamie
Hope it's okay if I jump in with a question. I don't know if this item has a lot of value but it's certainly been my favorite thrift store find so far (2nd Avenue) and I'd love to learn more about it.
It's a narrow rimmed pewter plate engraved with an unidentified armorial crest on the front (all hand done). The rim is partially decorated with worn floral scrolls. The reverse has been struck with several unidentified marks. The symbol that is repeated three times I've identified as French and appears to indicate the year 1715. From what I can tell early pewter makers tended to use nonsensical method of stamping in order to more closely resemble silver makers. The actual makers mark appears to be the OM in a rectangle with what looks like an animal, possibly a lion.
As far as the crest I've found nothing though someone suggested it might be ecclesiastical due to the cross but like the early pewter's marks, these types of crests appear to be a free for all as far as what was used and by whom.
I'd love to know if my research is correct and if this plate has any value. There is a book out there called Poncoins d'Etain which was written in the 1970's which appears to contain the bulk of information known about French pewter (which isn't much) but I have not been able to find a reasonable copy (let alone one in the States). My identification of the year mark actually came from a screen print someone generously posted online from this book.
Thanks in advance all!
Jamie
