Need a little help

British Silver Reading Silver Hallmarks
1

Hi can anyone help me with this ? im not sure what it is, if it’s solid silver or not, and I couldnt find one like it anywhere on the internet. It has a lift out brass thing with rings. The bottom of the brass thing has capital letters AD or AP I think. I looked up the hallmarks on the silver part on the web theyre very tiny, one is apparently a head of diana with a 2 on the left and a faint A on the right, the other was harder because only half the stamp came out, but i think it looks like the double eagle? head ill post a pic of from the web. I tried taking pics with my camera but couldnt get close enough, I can only see them through a 30x loupe on the bottom. The name says “J. C. Klinkosch” in a straight line in caps, with the 2 marks beneath it, then on the outside of the “bowl?” just on the top rise of the pedestal it says “JCK”. I couldn’t find any other marks. The diana head mark in the “cartouche”(sp is supposed to mean 900, but i dont know what that means, is that less than sterling because sterling is “925” ?

Excuse the tarnish, family stuff’s been in the attic for over a decade, havent bothered polishing them yet.


<-- Copyrighted image removed by Moderator -->

the 2 close-up single mark pics double-headed eagle (looks more like a messed up rooster) and diana head are from web, i could only see on piece clearly through 30x loupe not my camera, I’m still learning how to use it, but these look exactly like them, except the bird mark was stamped sloppily and only left upper impression but you can still tell. the “A” on the right side of diana is so faint you can barely see it, but i see it is probably there from a faint remnant of the A

2

the dianahead you have borrowed/stolen from 925-1000.
We can never discuss a mark that you say is similar to something else. You must take picture of your own.

Start by focus on mark - we dont need the entire sorrunding of mark - the mark itself is enough.

3

The mark is not similar, its the same exact mark, i searched for a long time trying to find it… As I said previously i tried to focus that closely on the item but was unsuccessful and could only see it through my loupe, not the camera. The mark I see through the loupe is exactly the mark i posted, but the head on mine is a bit clearer.

But stolen image… isn’t that a little harsh ? I don’t know a robber who steals something then parades the item in the street telling people where he got it.

I am not using those 2 tiny images for profit and am in full compliance with US Copyright law. I have websites myself and I never mind if people repost what is on them as long as they don’t claim it is their item.

Do you have more strict rules in the UK ? I noticed this site is based there when I couldn’t get here this morning, I had to block the UK in my firewall earlier.

In the United States -

Under the ‘fair use’ rule of copyright law, an author may make limited use of another author’s work without asking permission. Fair use is based on the belief that the public is entitled to freely use portions of copyrighted materials for purposes of commentary and criticism. The fair use privilege is perhaps the most significant limitation on a copyright owner’s exclusive rights.

Fair use as described at 17 U.S.C. Section 107:
"Notwithstanding the provisions of section 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phono-records or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright.

I am new here, if you’re the owner/admin of the site and this little image of the hallmark disturbs you, I will remove it, but only out of respect to your board, not because I am breaking any laws, but I’m still a bit taken aback by being branded a thief in my first post on here.

4

you are missing my point. We can evaluate your mark - not a similar.
We have seen so many verbal descriptions and pictures of similar marks - for then to realise that mark is completely different.

I am not admin at this site - and frankly I dont care about copyright. But I keep respect of copyright.
And I know that I cannot evaluate an item - based upon similar marks.

Other members might feel different.

5

I’m trying to figure out how to take closer pictures with this digital camera it claims it has supermacro, ill try to take a picture of it and come back at that time.

6

Go outside in the sun. Turn off flash. Get a good light on your item.

Your camera has a symbol looking like a flower.
Take picture focussing on mark - take multiple pictures.
In your camera - you see whats in focus.

In your computer cut off everything but mark itself.
The you have a large picture of mark to post.

7

Update 6/25 Well I wasn’t able to focus cam close enough to get details of the kartouche/diana head mark, so I’m either going to have to get a better camera that mimics my loupe, or take it to someone.

Thanks, I’d already tried everything but going outside, unfortunately its raining like mad here right now.

My main problem is that i cant seem to focus that close, its very small. Im using supermacro and other larger hallmarks arent a problem. Im going to go through the manual and see if there isnt some setting that will make it able to focus closer than what Im using now, or i may need a better camera, this is an inexpensive olympus vg110 and I need something that will take a picture that can view it as well as my 30x loupe is.

8

Well I had to buy a microscope cam to get closer and take a pic of the marks, my camera wouldnt focus close enough theyre very small (The Diana ? head is only 2.5 mm wide)

Hope these are ok.

9

I make this an Austrian piece. The ‘2’ within the Dianahead cartouche indicating the fineness of silver (.900), and the '‘A’ indicating city of assay, Vienna.
Joseph Carl (von) Klinkosch, normally well known for cutlery production, retired from the the silver business in 1884, so my guess of age would be from 1872, as indicated by the shape of the Dianahead, to this date.
But, as always, willing to be proved wrong :slight_smile:
Regards
John

10

Thanks John,

I’ll see if anyone can make out if that’s a double eagle head or not, signifying his appointment to the emperor according to another site (near the middle of ascasonline.org/newsFEBBRA81.html#question )

Good information :slight_smile:

11

I think the Austrian eagle insignia was akin to our ‘By Appointment’.
In this country, royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages.
Regards
John