I am interested in the opinions of those knowledgeable about
English Georgian silver hallmarks. My query is not necessarily
regarding the date or maker as much as it is whether or not
you would think these marks are spurious. If so why?
The marks are on the bottom of a large piece of hollowware.
Thanks[/img]
This certainly appears to be a genuine hallmark of 1738 with the maker’s mark of Paul de Lamerie - and the correct form of his mark for that date too. The hallmarks are in very good condition for 271 years old and that fact must always raise questions, but, as a “large piece of holloware”, it may not have had much use and/or polishing. But there appear to be some signs of usage consistent with age. However, because this purports to be by probably the pre-eminent silversmith of the 18th century, one still has to be a little cautious. Provenance becomes an issue and it would be good if its history could be traced. If you are concerned about whether it is genuine you should have it checked out by an expert.
Any chance of some pictures of the complete piece?
Hi Silvermakersmarks - Thanks for weighing in on this. I pretty much share your thoughts. Actually I feel pretty good about this, but need a bit of objective reinforcement.
Sometimes I get too excited and in a hurry then I miss something of import, leading to disappointment. At the present time I am unable to post a photo of the entire piece, sorry.