✅ SOLVED Help Identify silversmith mark

[chadkeath]

Hi and thank you in advance for any help. I am trying to find out who was the silversmith of a fork I have. I’ve looked and cannot find any Information. It’s stamped S.W. Martan. Sterling with a lion.

 

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[Red-Coat]

I’m not surprised you couldn’t find ‘S.W. Martan’. That will likely be a retail jeweller who had flatware made for him, and could have been a small operation with limited premises.

The actual maker was the Whiting Manufacturing Company, originally of Attleboro, Massachusetts but operating out of 692-694 Broadway at Fourth Street, New York at the time your fork was made. The company operated under that name from 1866 until 1924 when they were purchased by Gorham and then absorbed two years later. Their trademark was a lion supporting a shield with the letter ‘W’ on it (which you can just about see from enlargement of your picture):

The patent date looks to be 1909 and, as far as I know, Whiting held only three design patents granted that year. If you could show the upper side of the handle in full I could probably tell you which pattern it is.

 

[Mackaydon]

Just guessing: The "M" represents the pattern "Madam Morris", first introduced in 1909 (though 1910).
Don in SoCal.

 

[Red-Coat]

Just guessing: The "M" represents the pattern "Madam Morris", first introduced in 1909 (though 1910).
Don in SoCal.

Possibly, although it might have other significance such as indicating this was a 'special' for Martan. The Madam Morris pattern came in two variants:

 

[Bramblefind]

I don't know where you found this and if the location will make sense with it being connected to this man, but there was a jeweler in Winona, Minnesota "S.W. Morgan" (Stephen Whitfield Morgan) who opened a business in 1862. Morgan Jewelers still operates today.

Take a look back at history as Morgan's Jewelers in Winona celebrates 160 years

S. W. Morgan opened Morgan's Jewelers back in 1862 when Abraham Lincoln was president and this year the store celebrated 160 years with the community.

www.wxow.com

 

[Red-Coat]

I don't know where you found this and if the location will make sense with it being connected to this man, but there was a jeweler in Winona, Minnesota "S.W. Morgan" (Stephen Whitfield Morgan) who opened a business in 1862. Morgan Jewelers still operates today.

I believe you're right. With a bit of enlargement and enhancement it does seem to be 'Morgan', not 'Martan'.

 

[Mackaydon]

You can text the Morgan store here for verification:

Home • Morgan's Jewelers

Treating you and your jewelry like family since 1862. Located in historic Downtown Winona, MN. Shop engagement, collections, or design your own.

www.morgansjewelerswinona.com

Don in SoCal

 

[chadkeath]

Thank you everyone for your help. I truly appreciate it. It is S.W. Morgan. I will mark this solved. I have one more item that I have been searching on who made the piece. I’ll be posting for help. Again thank you all.

 

[Red-Coat]

Thank you everyone for your help. I truly appreciate it. It is S.W. Morgan. I will mark this solved. I have one more item that I have been searching on who made the piece. I’ll be posting for help. Again thank you all.

The pattern shown in your post #8 was introduced as 'Madam Jumel' in 1908, but not patented until 1909. The pattern was used by both Whiting and by Gorham. US Design patents usually expired after 14 years so, with the 1909 date, it just falls within the period prior to Whiting being acquired by Gorham.