HELP - Missing Assay Office on Sterling - Can Not Identify Maker

unforgettables
Community Member
Hello... We have a pair of nineteenth century English (?) sugar nips for which we can not identify the maker because there is no assay office mark.

The other markings are as follows. We have attached photos.

- lion passant in shield
- lower case date mark "b" in square
- duty mark of male figure facing right
- maker's mark "IL" in square





Message 1 of 63
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HELP - Missing Assay Office on Sterling - Can Not Identify Maker

shooger
Community Member
I'm pretty sure this isn't a PowerSeller issue. Is there a better place to ask questions about spoons, without spamming this board?
Message 2 of 63
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HELP - Missing Assay Office on Sterling - Can Not Identify Maker

kpamber
Community Member
Hi there,
I have a strong suspicion that this isn't English, thus no assay office.
You need thebidwatcher, I'm sure that she'll be along shortly to help out.
In the meantime, here are a few sites that you could check...I'm a gold afficionado myself...
http://www.silvercollecting.com/silvermarksG.html

http://www.925-1000.com/american-mfg3.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/antiques/collectorsguide/silver/silver_hallmarks/town_marks.shtml
Maybe they'll be helpful.
And, please, feel free to ask anything of me, I'm always glad to help.
Message 3 of 63
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HELP - Missing Assay Office on Sterling - Can Not Identify Maker

thebidwatcher
Community Member
Did someone call on me for a little silver pow wow? Did I smell a piece of silver that needs adoption papers?

No guarantees but I think I have cracked the case.

BUT FIRST.

Lighten up there shooger. Any question a power seller has that they want ask another power seller is fair game on this board IMO. Please tell me that your post was a wry attempt at dark humor.

Now back to the silver.

I have found in my Pocket Edition of Jackson's Hallmarks (which I bought on eBay) that IL is probably from London, John Lambe, spoon maker, last 1/4, 18th century. This matches your hallmarks:

London - 1777/1778 - sterling - dude facing right is the duty mark.

4 hits plus the makers mark is good enuff for me.

Assay Schmassay.

Hope that helps!

And Shooger, relax honey!!!

Lisa R.
Message 4 of 63
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HELP - Missing Assay Office on Sterling - Can Not Identify Maker

unforgettables
Community Member
Thank you for the awesome help.
Message 5 of 63
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HELP - Missing Assay Office on Sterling - Can Not Identify Maker

shooger
Community Member
Lisa, no, I wasn't joking. I guess I chat mostly on boards where spam (unwanted, off-topic discussion) is penalized. It gets erased, and the poster often gets a warning. If it happens again, that person can no longer post on that board.

IMO, this kind of discussion isn't useful for 99% of the PowerSellers, and pushes useful discussions down and out of sight. But if it's not against the rules, then by all means, spam away! 🙂
Message 6 of 63
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HELP - Missing Assay Office on Sterling - Can Not Identify Maker

thebidwatcher
Community Member
Shooger, a discussion board is a public forum, and in this case one accessible by those who are PS's. This PS wants to sell this item. She asked for help. Who are you to decide what is spam and what is not?

You have me truly pi$$ed off now, smiley face at the end and all.

On the .com board, where I hang out ALL DAY LONG, people post for a myriad of issues and the board out posts this one in volune 10 -1 (or something like that). People ask questions about all kinds of things, some that are pure nonsense. It is a community. If a thread gets knocked to the next page, we go and find it and bump it, or we move on. We would never say to a fellow member, "Hey, post it somewhere else, bub. We are Power Sellers here".

Get over it. You are special. Yes. But not that special that a question can't be asked and answered.

Lisa R.

Message 7 of 63
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HELP - Missing Assay Office on Sterling - Can Not Identify Maker

treasure-pot
Community Member
shooger, I had no idea that YOU spoke for 99% of PS'ers.

If the topic does not interest you, why bother to comment at all?

Or is it that the Cdn. PS board finally has it's own equivalent to the trolls that lurk on the .com boards?

Please show me where is says in the Board Usage Policy (http://pages.ebay.ca/help/community/png-board.html) that this is an inappropriate post. IMO PS'ers will determine for themselves what is of interest by either responding or not. While I have no personal interest in silver, there are several regulars here who make it their business. It seems like an entirely appropriate post to me (my opinion, of course).

You may want to look for alternative work than as a self-appointed pink.

Bill


Bill


Message 8 of 63
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HELP - Missing Assay Office on Sterling - Can Not Identify Maker

jaymor8
Community Member
I am shocked and astounded to see this type of attitude in our own Help Board. As has been stated, that behavior typifies the dot com mentality and it is most unwelcome here.

I have no idea if the OP is new here or not and perhaps she just felt more comfortble asking a question here with us. I am glad they she felt comfortable and I hate they she was made to feel ridiculous and bothersome.

I don't speak for anybody but myself and I say that the only stupid question is the unasked one. As far as I am concerned, everyone is welcome here and everyone will receive the help that they need, hopefully.

I think it was completely uncharitable of you shooger and I prefer to believe that you just weren't thinking. Your opinion is just as respected as anyone's on this board but hopefully next time, it will be less disagreeable. JMO

Jackie...
Message 9 of 63
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HELP - Missing Assay Office on Sterling - Can Not Identify Maker

muminlaw
Community Member
Well, I have to agree with Lisa, Bill and Jackie on this one - I was really saddened to see Shooger's post. Personally, I'm of the opinion that if one power seller wants to know something - anything - that makes it power seller business.

I don't deal in silver, nor jewellery, nor a lot of the things other PSers deal in, but that doesn't mean I can't learn a little about their businesses too -- you never know when a little added knowledge might come in very handy!

Glenda
Glenda

Click here to go to my Store
Message 10 of 63
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HELP - Missing Assay Office on Sterling - Can Not Identify Maker

jaymor8
Community Member
Beautifully put, Glenda. 'Every man is my friend, in that I may learn from him!'

I guess we come across as sappy on this board but who the he11 cares. I am proud of the fact that we can ask a question and not feel as though we are being laughed at and that the private emails are flying from one city to the next about our posting.

But, in fairness to anyone who feels a little 'malcontent' for whatever reason, perhaps they could start a 'Empty Your Soul Here' thread. It could be a thread where anyone can say whatever they think or feel without fear of retribution from anyone. The only monitor will be ebay...against improper content.

Jackie...
Message 11 of 63
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HELP - Missing Assay Office on Sterling - Can Not Identify Maker

muminlaw
Community Member
Go for it Jackie!! 😉

Glenda

Glenda

Click here to go to my Store
Message 12 of 63
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HELP - Missing Assay Office on Sterling - Can Not Identify Maker

thebidwatcher
Community Member
Please do not start such a thread Jackie. Why do you think confessionals are in little booths? There is no such thing as no retribution on eBay. Someone will lurk in the background and it will turn up in a sabotaged auction.

I thank you all for backing me up in my response. I only have one comment and that is in response to my good friend Jackie's view that this behavior is like that found on the .com board. It's not! If it was, that member would be hung out to dry too.

I think what Jackie means is the .com has more folks on it that we have conflicts with. True, as I had one JUST TODAY. But the OP had the thread pulled (I believe). Who said chivalry was dead?

Now you guys are 100% class it's true and no board can touch you. And now Shooger can step up and join us now that he/she knows our high standard.

So Shooger, come out come out wherever you are.

You are among buddies here we are moving on.

Lisa
Message 13 of 63
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HELP - Missing Assay Office on Sterling - Can Not Identify Maker

jaymor8
Community Member
Lisa - I didn't mean for ME to start such a thread. I meant it for the malcontents and I was being ironic. Yeeeeesh...did THAT ever backfire 😞

Jackie...
Message 14 of 63
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HELP - Missing Assay Office on Sterling - Can Not Identify Maker

thebidwatcher
Community Member
I never said I was SMART, I just said I could identify hallmarks on silver.

You still rock honey!!

Lisa
Message 15 of 63
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HELP - Missing Assay Office on Sterling - Can Not Identify Maker

treasure-pot
Community Member
Jackie, I took some ironic once 'cause my doctor told me that's why I was feeling liltless. :<)

Bill


Bill


Message 16 of 63
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HELP - Missing Assay Office on Sterling - Can Not Identify Maker

jaymor8
Community Member
Bill - pfftttttttt...that's wrong. You mean you took some balsamic, don't you? That would put the lilt right back into your sliver. I thinkkkkkk..... *shrug*

I think that is quite conastracious 🙂

Jackie...
Message 17 of 63
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HELP - Missing Assay Office on Sterling - Can Not Identify Maker

treasure-pot
Community Member
Jackie... ahem.....






Cheers!

Bill


Bill


Message 18 of 63
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HELP - Missing Assay Office on Sterling - Can Not Identify Maker

treasure-pot
Community Member
... and when I'm conastracious I take some stewed prunes.

.... yes, my precious.... that's why we hates hobbits... yesssss....

Bill


Bill


Message 19 of 63
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HELP - Missing Assay Office on Sterling - Can Not Identify Maker

jaymor8
Community Member
LOL @ Bill. Santa didn't die laughing. You take that back!!! He's not dead I tell you. He's NOT!!!!!!!

I never take prewed stunes. They give me hives. And, I am only allowed to have hives duirng honey season. 😛

Jackie...
Message 20 of 63
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