✅ SOLVED GB markings. Can anyone help identify please

[postalgriff]

Found this at an old civil war era homestead. I think it’s a spoon handle but not sure. I was wondering if anyone had input or could decipher the lettering above the GB mark. Thanks in advance, Griff.

 

[Trimbaker]

Hmmm, at a glance, that would look like the royal crown. Perhaps your item was owned by the royal family of England.... Maybe revolutionary war era? Cool find. : )

 

[smokeythecat]

it's actually 'GR' for Georgius Rex, in other words, King George of England, probably George III.

 

[paleomaxx]

It's the broken off keyhole cover from a padlock:



The above example was manufactured during the reign of Queen Victoria, hence VR for Victoria Regina. I've found one previously with "WR" from the reign of William IV, but yours could be George III or George IV. I'd lean towards George IV due to the term "patent" stamped into it, but either way definitely made in Britain.

 

[postalgriff]

It's the broken off keyhole cover from a padlock:

View attachment 1889527

The above example was manufactured during the reign of Queen Victoria, hence VR for Victoria Regina. I've found one previously with "WR" from the reign of William IV, but yours could be George III or George IV. I'd lean towards George IV due to the term "patent" stamped into it, but either way definitely made in Britain.

wow! Nice ID my friend! Nailed it, thank you very much!

 

[Red-Coat]

This one is from the ‘antique-padlocks.com’ website. British-made, no manufacturer mark, but either George III (1760-1820) or George IV (1820-1830).



The cipher is not in the official design format but is an adaptation by the manufacturer for avoidance of copyright issues. As such it doesn’t convey any special use, nor that the company had been granted a Royal Warrant… it’s just a piece of patriotic symbolism which also makes it difficult to determine which George it is.