Attached is a picture of a hallmark and makers mark I am having trouble identifying. Can anyone help please?
It is on a fob chain that I believe to be Victorian and English.
The makers mark appears to be F.W.C and the year code seems to be a script P
Probably F W Cole of Vyse Street, Birmingham, described as a gold & silver watch chain maker. The mark F.W.C in serif characters was registered in Chester in 1898 and a version with sans-serif characters was registered in 1910. A script P probably makes it Chester 1915.
Wow. Thanks for such a quick response! Can you explain why the maker would be in Birmingham but the date code wold be for Chester. I must admit this is all very confusing for me!
Many Birmingham silversmiths used Chester as their assay office. I have seen explanations that it was either because charges were less or because items could be processed more quickly at Chester because fewer makers used it.
I believe it was made by Frank W Cole, my great grandfather, who was a gold and silver chainmaker in Vyse Street, Birmingham.
The hallmark is excellent!!! really nice