I did a ton of research the best I could, And I narrowed it down to this site here.
Elkington & Co. - Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers’ Marks
But I can’t seem to find the P/R hallmarks anywhere as part of this. What does it mean?
If there is any information I have missed then I apologise, I’m happy to update this post with any additional information you may need.
Thank you!
Welcome!
These aren’t “hallmarks,” since this isn’t sterling silver. But you’re correct, so far - this is electroplate from Elkington, Mason, and Co.
The “P” in a diamond is the Elkington date letter for 1854. Most electroplate isn’t datable, but Elkington did have a system for dating things.
The “R” is more mysterious. Not part of the usual marking, and obviously added later. It might be an owner’s mark.
Thanks so much for the info!
The R is indeed mysterious, what kind of value do these items go for? I’m curious to know who it potentially did belong to, as it does look like a newer mark and was mentioned around the table. Just wondering if maybe there’s any significance to this, and where I could look to find further infromation.
Unless this is a family piece, identifying the owner is almost certainly going to be impossible. Georgian sterling sometimes has a family crest on it, which gives some clue to its ownership, but Victorian electroplate virtually never does.
Value? Tough to say, without seeing the whole object. But electroplate contains virtually no precious metal, so it has decorative value only. Look at “sold” listings for similar items on eBay (ignore the “buy it now” prices, which are often very optimistic).
The 2394 is the manufacturer’s catalog number, with no real significance. It might be interesting to match it up with a period catalog, but most of that information is lost in the mists of time.
It’s a nice piece, probably a sugar bowl - hit it with some silver polish and use it! At auction, however, it would probably make no more than the low two figures.
I absolutely will do!
You’re a star!
i’ll continue looking around and see what I can find. Does this pattern have any significance either or did every pattern differ from one another with electroplate with this company?
Also, May you please clarify on the period catalog you mentioned? How would I go about navigating or finding that?
A lone “R” punched on plate is typically a retailer’s mark to indicate a specific silver-plating process, such as a hard or reinforced electroplate.
It’s been seen used by Walker Hall, Mappin & Webb, Garrard & Co. and The Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Company of London retailing third party material.
It is interpreted to mean either Reinforced Plate or Regent Plate. Not sure as a buyer, even back then, I would’ve put too much stock in it.
CRWW
Not unlike “quadruple plated.” Still just ordinary electroplate, alas.
So no history in a sense of people linked to it, what about part of a set? Is there any chance you could please help me find that?
What you have to remember is that Elkington was one of the largest producers. They made literally millions of pieces, in thousands of patterns. None of them is significant.
I just meant that if you happened to stumble across a period catalog, it might be in there. But almost all of that material went into the skiff, decades ago. In the pre-digital era, preserving bulky paper records of mass-produced consumer goods wouldn’t have been warranted.
Alright! Thank you for all the responses.
