Full disclosure, this isn’t mine but I’m interested in buying it. Seems to be 18th c English, but I’m wondering if the Pierce work was done later? It doesn’t look right to me for 18th c Pierce work, and what’s left of the hallmarks looks to be between various shamrock piercings which also feels weird. Any thoughts? Thanks again
Gently clean the area in the photo below. Send us the result. And above all, post a photo of the entire item (sharp, high-resolution photos are welcome – today’s technology allows for this).
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Thanks, but as I mentioned it’s not mine and I don’t have it in hand, just the photo. Was wondering generally if this looked right for 18th c pierce work.
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Year letter, London, lion passant, maker’s mark.
Of course, I may be wrong… But only those who do nothing make no mistakes.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/305614138345
James Baker or John Broughton 1764..1767 Coffee pot, mug Listed by Grimwade under Unregistered Marks and attributed to “James Baker?, or possibly John Broughton”. It may have been recorded in the lost 1758-1773 Largeworkers’ Register.
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So I made a deal on it and now have it in hand and given it a clean. Date is 1762 and yes, thanks Bart, seems to be the Baker/Broughton mark that Phil lists. I think it is a basket from a very early English epergne, as the first English ones seem to appear right around this year. The swing handle with the holes in it is the give away, and the pierce work seems consistent with other epergnes I’ve see in pictures from the same period so i think it’s original At nearly 200 grams it seems the mother ship must have been quite a size.
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Very nice! Well bought, I’d say. Even at the BIN price, that was just about melt value (weight x .925 x spot price). 20th Century American sterling is currently selling at that level, but true Georgian pieces usually command more (though nowhere near what they would have brought just a couple of years ago). But you earned your keep cleaning it - the pierced pieces are always a challenge! 
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Haha! Yeah, thanks, it was a bitch to clean, but given that I was pretty sure it was 18th c I thought it was a decent punt so I went ahead and made a deal. With silver price where it is I’m trying to grab as much 18th bits and pieces as I can, just to save them from the smelter. I sure would like to know what happened to the rest of that epergne though.
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The 18th Century pieces are probably safe from the smelter for now, unless they’re damaged beyond hope. But a lot of the run-of-the-mill stuff from Gorham, Reed & Barton, and the like, is definitely in danger if the spot price goes much higher.
I’ve stolen a couple of very nice 18th Century pieces in the last few weeks, and I’ve got my eye on another one. 
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In my humble opinion it is 1765.
Antique c.1765 Sterling Silver Reticulated Basket Bowl London Makers Mark IWVL | eBay UK
Lot - English Hallmarked Sterling Silver George III Christening Mug
George III English Silver Cup sold at auction on 20th May | Brunk Auctions
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Thanks Bart, you may be right.
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U welcome, Paul! ---------------------------------- 
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