ASSOCIATION OF SMALL COLLECTORS OF ANTIQUE SILVER
ASCAS
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(click on photos to enlarge image)MARKS OF EUROPEAN SILVER PLATE:
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PERIOD
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FIRM NAME
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Before 1892
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August Wellner (?)
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1892-1913
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Sächsische Metallwarenfabrik August Wellner
Söhne, Aue in Sachsen
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1913-1941
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Sächsische Metallwarenfabrik August Wellner
Söhne Aktiengesellschaft (A.-G.), Aue i. Sa.
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1958-1992
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VEB Auer Besteck-und Silberwarenwerke (ABS)
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1992-2001
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Wellner Bestecke und Silberwaren, GmbH, Aue
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nowadays
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Wellner/ABS GmbH, Schneeberg
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The marks listed below belong mainly to the second and third
period of the company's activity shown in this table, which
corresponds to the time when Paul Gaedt was managing the firm
(1892-1936). Interestingly, at least twenty different marks
plus numerous varieties were used in this time for marking the
silver-plated Wellner hollow ware. Before listing these marks, I
want to underline the following peculiarities of marking:
1) Twice in c.1907 and in 1926-1927 the new mark was
added to the old one, which means that an over-printing of a new
mark on the already marked items took place.
2) In the period c.1907-c.1921 two separate lines of marking the
hollow ware with silver-plating on Alpaca were used. I suppose
that this was made in order to distinguish the pieces made in
new factory buildings from those made in old premises (or with
older and newer technologies). Therefore, I called these lines "old"
and "new" factories. The third line in the period c.1907-c.1914
was used for marking the silver-plated items made with another
base metal.
3) Contrary to WMF (Württemberg Metal Factory), there is a total
absence of dated Wellner silver-plated items issued at the end
of XIX or the beginning of XX centuries (except the pieces
ordered by steamship companies). This circumstance makes very
difficult the exact time attribution of early Wellner items. At
the same time it shows the strong difference in fashion existing
in different parts of the young German Empire, such as
Württemberg and Saxony.
Mark S.M.F. WS (c.1892-c.1895).
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N°
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MARK
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COMMENT
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1
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The oldest mark. Very rare. This oval mark was used alone in the case of pure Alpaca (see upper photo).
The initials "S.M.F." stand for the "Sächsische Metallwaren Fabrik", or Saxony Metal
Goods Factory. The initials "W" and "S", which are put to the left and to the right
of the "Wellner dice" [1], refer to "Wellner Soehne". The inscription "ALPACCA"
(Alpaca in English) refers to the base metal. In the case of silver-plated items, this oval mark was
used together with the smaller oval mark (see photo below), which displayed the amount of silver used
for plating (in grams). The size of the large oval is about 3.2 mm x 4.0 mm, the size of the small
oval is about 2.0 mm x 3.0 mm.
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"Dice" mark (c.1895-c.1907).
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N°
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MARK
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COMMENT
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2
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A dice mark of "August Wellner Söhne" company.
Very rare. There is no indication of the factory
name. The full marking consists of the volume
designation (in cl., 1 cl. = 10 cm3), the oval and
the circle. In the centre of the oval there is a "Wellner
dice" [1]. Note, that with each item the same combination appears on the dice: one pip on the top facet, two pips on the side facet and four pips on the front facet. The inscription in oval "ALPACCA SILBER" means "Silver-plated Alpaca". Two letters "E" and "S" to the left and to the right of the dice (or "I" and "I") justify the quality of silver-plating, «ES» means "Erste Sorte" or "High quality", "I" and "I" refers to the thinner layer of silver [1]. The size of the oval varies from 3.0 mm x 4.0 mm to 4.0 mm x 5.0 mm. In the circle the amount of silver used for plating (in grams) is indicated. The diameter of the circle in the case of a single-digit number is 1.8 mm, in the case of a double-digit number it is 2.2 mm. |
Mark WELLNER SÖHNE + dice mark (c.1907).
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N°
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MARK
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COMMENT
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3
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This mark is a combination of the dice mark No.2
with the inscription "WELLNER SÖHNE" (Wellner & Sons),
and this additional inscription could be applied
both to the top and to the bottom of the oval. Note the difference in the look of two points in the letter "Ö" for two different items. The size of the oval is about 3.2 mm x 4.0 mm, the diameter of the circle is 2.1 mm. The length of the word "WELLNER" is 6.6-6.9 mm. Rare. |
Mark WELLNER SOEHNE + dice mark, "old factory" (c.1907-c.1914).
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N°
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MARK
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COMMENT
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4
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Contrary to the previous mark, here the oval
with a dice is inside the inscription "WELLNER
SOEHNE". Another difference is the different way of
writing of the word "SOEHNE" by using two letters "OE"
instead of one "Ö". For the items ordered by
steamship companies the year of production is
indicated. The length of the word "WELLNER" is
5.7-6.3 mm. The size of the oval is noticeably smaller compared to the one in the case of mark No.2 and varies between 2.3 mm x 2.7 mm and 3.1 mm x 4.0 mm. The diameter of the circle with the silver content data in the case of a single-digit number is 1.9 mm, in the case of a double-digit number it is 2.1 mm. Rather common. |
Mark WELLNER SOEHNE + dice (c.1907-c.1914).
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N°
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MARK
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COMMENT
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5
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Mark No.5 was used to mark silverplating on
metal other than Alpaca. Contrary to mark No.4, here
the dice image put inside the inscription "WELLNER
SOEHNE". Another difference is in the special way of
writing the word "SOEHNE", with the two letters "O"
and “E” joined. The length of the word "WELLNER" is 5.7-5.8 mm. The diameter of the circle with the dice is 2.3-2.4 mm. Rare. |
Mark WELLNER SOEHNE, "old factory" (c.1914-c.1921).
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N°
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MARK
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COMMENT
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6
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Next mark consists from the same words "WELLNER" and "SOEHNE",
as the marks No.4 and No.5, but written with a hyphen.
It also relates to the "old factory" group of marks. The length of the word "WELLNER" is 6.2-6.6 mm. The diameter of the circle with the silver content data in the case of a single-digit number is 2.2 mm, in the case of a double-digit number it is 2.6 mm. Very seldom the items are dated using the rhomb marking with two last year digits inside. The size of the vertical rhomb diagonal is 2 mm, while the size of the horizontal rhomb diagonal is 3.5 mm. |
Marks SMF AUGUST WELLNER SNE, "new factory" (c.1907-1926).
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N°
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MARK
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COMMENT
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7
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This extremely beautiful mark was used between
c.1907 and 1910. Very rare. It possesses the
inscription "SMF. AUG. WELLNER-SNE AUE i S", an
abbreviation of "SÄCHSISCHE METALLWAREN FABRIK
AUGUST WELLNER und SÖHNE, AUE in Sachsen" or "Saxony
Metal Goods Factory August Wellner & Sons, Aue in
Saxony". This inscription is in a ring which is put
inside the square box with the Wellner dice in the
centre with the pip combination 1-2-4. The size of the square box varies from 9 mm x 9 mm to 12 mm x 12 mm. In the case of silverplated items, ordered by steamship companies, the mark contains the year of production. The diameter of the circle with the silver content data in the case of a double-digit number is 2.1 mm. |
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8
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This mark possesses the same inscription as the
mark No.7, but with more details. This mark is found
in many varieties. a) Let us consider the first four photos related to 1910-1912. It is clear that two varieties of the mark were used simultaneously. The first variety (first two photos) and the second one (next two photos) differ by 1) more down-prolongated capital letters "M" and "F" in the first line of the inscription in the case of first two photos; 2) different writing of "i.S." in the third line of the inscription, without the slash (i.S.) in the case of first two photos and with the slash (i./S.) in the case of next two photos; 3) different pattern around the third line of the inscription. b) In 1912, a new style was introduced (see the fifth photo). Now the first line of the inscription is made using both the capital and low-case letters, contrary to the previous four photos where this line is made only of the capital letters. In addition, the pattern around the third line of the inscription disappears. c) In 1913 the amount of silver used for plating is given in the rectangle instead of the circle used before. The size of the rectangle is 1.5 mm x 2.6 mm. d) In 1914, the style of year presentation changes, it is given now without the cartouche. The length of the word "WELLNER" varies between 8.8 mm and 11.6 mm. The diameter of the circle with the silver content data in the case of a single-digit number is 1.9-2.1 mm, in the case of a double-digit number it is 2.1-2.5 mm. |
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9
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This mark was used for a short time around 1920. Contrary to the mark No.8,
it has an additional inscription AktienGesellschaft, which means in English
"joint-stock company". The length of the word "WELLNER" is
7.8 mm. The diameter of the circle with the silver content data in the case
of a single-digit number is 1.4 mm. Extremely rare.
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10
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This mark was used for a short time around 1920. In comparison with the mark No.9, the first line of the previous inscription, "Sächs. Metallw. Fabrik", now disappears. In addition, two initials "A.-G.", which stand for "AktienGesellschaft", appear. The length of the word "WELLNER" is 10.5 mm. The diameter of the circle with the silver content data in the case of a double-digit number is 2.3 mm. Very rare. |
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11
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In this, very common Wellner mark, the
information about factory location disappears. The
length of the word "WELLNER" varies between 5.9 mm
and 7.6 mm. The diameter of the circle with the
silver content data in the case of a single-digit
number is 1.4-1.6 mm, in the case of a double-digit
number it is 2.5 mm. |
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12
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This mark was derived especially for use on
small items and was applied for a very short time
around 1926. Exceptionally rare! In this mark the first name of August Wellner disappears, and the remaining inscription is "WELLNER SÖHNE A.-G.", in English "Wellner & Sons joint-stock company". The length of the word "WELLNER" is 6 mm. The diameter of the circle with the silver content data in the case of a single-digit number is 1.7 mm. |
Mark ORIGINAL WELLNER + "old factory" (1926-1927).
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N°
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MARK
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COMMENT
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13
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In 1925-1927 August Wellner & Sons opened
branches in Italy and Holland (S.A. Argenteria
Italiana Wellner Firenze [2] and Wellner Zilver
Fabrieken N.V. Amsterdam [3]). Besides, there was a
rival Aue firm with a similar name, founded by the
young brother of August Wellner, "GOTTLIEB WELLNER"
or, shortly, "GOWE" [4]. Therefore, to underline the
supremacy of August Wellner & Sons foundry, in
1926-1927 the transfer to a new company name "ORIGINAL
WELLNER", which could be translated as Real Wellner,
was made. Together with the issuing items with the
new mark, all old not-sold pieces with the previous
marks were over-printed above (or from the side, if
there was no free place above) by the inscription "ORIGINAL
WELLNER" in a cartouche. The mark No.13 is a combination of the above-mentioned mark No.6 with the additional inscription "ORIGINAL WELLNER", put from the side. The length of the word "WELLNER" in this additional inscription is 8.2 mm. The length of the same word "WELLNER" in the old part of the mark is 6.4 mm. The size of the circle for a double-digit number is 2.5 mm. The last two values agree well with a similar data for the mark No.6, given above. The mark No.13 is very rare, which means that in 1926-1927 the "old factory" practically stopped its operation. |
Marks ORIGINAL WELLNER + "new factory" (1926 - 1927).
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N°
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MARK
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COMMENT
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14
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The mark No.14 is a combination of the
above-mentioned mark No.10 with the additional
inscription "ORIGINAL WELLNER", put from the side in
a cartouche. The length of the word "WELLNER" in
this additional inscription is 12.1 mm. The length
of the same word "WELLNER" in the old part of the
mark is 9.4 mm, which agrees well with a similar
data for the mark No.10, given above. The size of the
circle with the silver content for a single-digit
number is 1.7 mm. Very rare! |
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15
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The mark No.15 is a combination of the
above-mentioned mark No.11 with the additional
inscription "ORIGINAL WELLNER", given in a cartouche.
The mean value for the length of the word "WELLNER"
in this additional inscription is 8 mm. The mean
value for the length of the same word "WELLNER" in
the old part of the mark is 6.7 mm The size of the
circle with the silver content for a single-digit
number is 1.6 mm, for a double-digit number it is
2.4 mm. Last three values agree well with the
similar datas for the mark No.11, given above. |
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16
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The mark No.16 is a combination of the
above-mentioned mark No.12 with the additional
inscription "ORIGINAL WELLNER", given in a cartouche.
The mean value for the length of the word "WELLNER"
in this additional inscription is 6.6 mm. The mean
value for the length of the same word "WELLNER" in
the old part of the mark is 6.4 mm The size of the
circle with the silver content for a single-digit
number is 1.7 mm. Last two values agree well with
the similar data for the mark No.12, given above.
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Marks ORIGINAL WELLNER (1927-1944).
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N°
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MARK
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COMMENT
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17
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A main mark for this period contains the
inscription "ORIGINAL WELLNER" in a cartouche. The
length of the word "WELLNER" varies between 6 and 12
mm. Sometimes this mark contains the year of
production (for items ordered by steamship companies)
or the original silver content marking without a
circle given in grams (GR). |
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18
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A jubilee mark used in 1934 (80 year anniversary
of Wellner manufacture). The diameter of the circle
with a round inscription "ORIGINAL WELLNER" is 14.5
mm. Inside the circle is the image of three elves
bearing a knife, fork and spoon. Below in two
rectangular boxes the following inscriptions: "Schwerversilbertes Alpacca" (Hard silver-plated Alpaca) and “Muster Ges. (Gesetzlich) geschützt” (Registered trade mark). |
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19
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This mark was used after 1934. The inscription
below "Alpacca schwerversilbert" means "Hard
silverplated Alpaca". |
Marks ABS (1958-1992).
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N°
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MARK
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COMMENT
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20
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This mark consists of the abbreviation “ABS”
which means "AUER BESTECK UND SILBERWARENWERKE" or
Aue Cutlery and Silver Items Company. The length of
the "ABS" inscription is 4.5-5.5 mm. |
I am grateful to Ms. Danielle Morizot for careful reading of my manuscript. My email address is niko@phys.ucc.ie. Any comments, questions or letters with an additional information are very welcome. However, please do not send any requests for valuation and/or expertise, such letters will be ignored.
LITERATURE
[1] David N. Nikogosyan, August Wellner & Sons., Silver
Plating Foundry in Aue, Saxony.
http://www.ascasonline.org/articoloMARZ155.html
[2] David N. Nikogosyan, Marks of European Silver Plate: V.
Krupp & Wellner, Italy.
http://www.ascasonline.org/windowGIUGN61.html
[3] David N. Nikogosyan, Marks of European Silver Plate: XI.
Wellner, Holland.
http://www.ascasonline.org/windowMAGGI96.html
[4] Glückauf! Zeitschrift des Erzgebirgsvereins, vol.45,
No.3, pp.43-66, 1925 (in German). English translation of the
title: Glückauf! Journal of Ore Mountains Association.
Dr. David N. Nikogosyan
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