I’m hoping someone can help identify and date a small Birks sterling silver spoon I found among my late mother’s silverware.
It’s stamped BIRKS STERLING, followed by a single unusual symbol inside a rectangular cartouche. I’ve searched historical Birks hallmark references but haven’t been able to match it.
The symbol looks almost like a stylized Q or Y. I’m particularly interested in whether it’s a date mark, a maker’s symbol or something else.
The spoon weighs 10 grams and has an ornate floral and scrollwork design.
Does anyone recognize this particular hallmark or know approximately when Birks used it?
Thank you for helping identify the pattern. I did already consult the same link for Birks marks, but was not successful in identifying the character after the stamped name. Was hoping it would assist with dating the spoon.
As you are aware Birks was, for a while, mimicking, with permission, the London letter/date cycle which I realize you were looking at too. That cycle did not include a “y” until 1998.
The Louis XV pattern was in production until 2012.
In April 1993 Henry Birks and Sons was sold to the Italian luxury goods firm Regaluxe Group headed by Dr. Lorenzo Rossi di Montelera after filing for bankruptcy protection.
So a lower case italics “y” with the tail going in the wrong direction put there by the new owners? Seems a stretch.
My first thought was third party retailer mark but Birks retailed its own material through its own stores.
Or tally mark, but it’s too elaborate and the family never paid piece work at either of the Montreal workshop consecutive locations.
Two possibilities, Call up Justin and ask for his thoughts he probably sells more second-hand Birks flatware than anybody and he might just have seen it
Or go directly to the Birks archives in the National library:
https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?IdNumber=101499&app=FonAndCol
Thank you for your helpful reply. I have reached out to Justin!
