Hello,
I wonder if anyone knows about pieces without a town mark like this minuscule ladle. I can make out the monarch’s head, and the sponsor’s mark is clear, but there’s no town or date mark anywhere. Is this common to London, or did all the assay towns omit their marks on small pieces. I have much smaller spoons, such as salt spoons, which are fully marked, so why would this one be singled out? Many thanks for any light you can shed on this.
It is unusual to be missing both date letter and town mark. The town mark was often omitted in the period c1790-c1820, not only for London, but also Exeter and occasionally Newcastle. The shape of the lion passant punch is sometimes seen on London marks and the notched duty mark probably dates from 1797 when various changes in silver duty had to be taken into account.
JH is a little more problematical. My immediate thought was Joseph Hicks of Exeter but because of what I have said above I think it is most likely a London mark. Unfortunately there is no documented JH mark of this style in the relevant period.
Phil
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Well many thanks for your thoughts as always Phil. The mystery will have to remain as such…!