David McKinley presents:
Apprenticeship and Freedom for the English Goldsmith
A subject not dealt with, except in passing, in most
books on the subject of antique silver plate is
apprenticeship and freedom and the student is left to
make what he or she can out of the available
information. For this reason a few words about the
requirement laid upon all English goldsmiths before they
could have any hallmarks applied to their plate would
seem appropriate.....
click here
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Welcome to new ASCAS members:
Tracy Lewis - USA
Edward Millen - USA
Rebecca Nix - USA
David Shorten - England UK
Clifford William Thies - USA
Paola Venturelli - Italy
Kelly Watkins - USA
Mike Wattens - USA
Members' Window # 101
Dr. David N. Nikogosyan
presents:
Marks of European Silver Plate: XIII. Norblin,
Russia/Poland
Three years ago I published a Member's Window in ASCAS
newsletter devoted to the Warsaw silver plate factories
Fraget and Norblin. Since then I found new material,
both in literature and in my recent acquisitions, which
has allowed me the revising and updating of the Fraget
part of my previous Members' Window. Now it is time to
revise the Norblin part.
The history of the Norblin company is well known.
Vincent Norblin (1805-1872) was born in Paris. His life
story reads like a cheap fiction. At the age of fourteen,
Vincent appeared in Warsaw, where his father, the
jeweller Alexandre Jean Constantin Norblin (1777-1828),
together with Vincent's uncles was running a small
enterprise, a bronze foundry (founded in 1819)......
click here
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Rosa Pericone writes:
... I'd wish some information about a little object belonging to
my family.
Thanks to your site I know that it is marked Birmingham 1904 but
any further information would be highly appreciated.
Rosa Pericone
Matthew Grieb writes:
... I am unable to identify this dessert flatware set. My Great,
Great, Great aunt gave it to my mother.
Please see attached photos.
Any info would be great.
Thank you,
Matthew Grieb
Christene de Somer writes:
... May I kindly request for your help in identifying these
silver spoons?
I have absolutely no idea about their origin or age.
Many thanks in advance for your help,
Christene de Somer
Your spoons are "Hanau Silver" made in Germany by J.D.
Schleissner & Söhne c. 1900.
More about Hanau Silver at
http://www.silvercollection.it/dictionaryhanausilver.html
Giorgio Busetto
Norbert Mizne writes:
... I own a silver sugar box with a key. Similar items are shown
in your article #89.
I cannot decipher the markings:
12 LATH:SILRF1
The A is more like an upside U with uneven legs.
T 1 could be an I.
Can you help or advise me?
Thanking you in advance,
Norbert Mizne
Your box is marked "12 LOTH SILBER". German area (Germany,
Austria) used until late '800 a measurement system called
Lothige. Markings were numbers such as 12, 13 or 14. Silver
fineness 12 Loth is .750 silver content, 13 Loth is .812 1/2 and
14 Loth is .875 silver content.
I have scarce knowledge of the matter, but the marking of your
box looks uncommon, lacking any other mark usually present to
confirm its quality of solid silver (town mark, silversmith mark).
I hope that someone better acquainted with the matter will be
able to supply further information about your item.
Giorgio Busetto
Cornelia Thier writes:
... I would like more information on this candle holder (date,
maker). It was bought from a Jewish lady.
It bears the mark with the crown and below two crosses, which I
believe is the Danzig coat of arms.
Also the letter 'W' is stamped next the Danzig hallmark as well
as the name 'M.STUMPE'.
Thanks and kind regards
Cornelia Thier
In this column we presents a page obtained from makers'
brochures, books, auction catalogs, advertising or whatever
other printed paper, related to silver, that may be of interest
for ASCAS members.
The images will be published at a "low resolution" level and for
private and personal use only
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This month ASCAS presents an 1870 advertisement of a
patented butter dish of Ernest Kaufmann, Philadelphia
KAUFMAN'S PATENT BUTTER
DISH
Ernest Kaufmann (not Kaufman as titled in
the ad) was active at 248 North 8th Street,
Philadelphia, Pa as "Manufacturers of Superior
Silver Plated & Britannia Wares, Established in
1857" (but the firm was listed in 1855
Philadelphia City Directory).
In this ad (published in June 1870 edition of
The Watchmaker and Jeweler) the firm promoted
"...the greatest improvement yet made in
REVOLVING BUTTER DISHES. The above is a view of
the dish with the inside bowl taken out,
overcoming the inconvenience of cleaning , -
therefore there were no means by which the
obnoxious odor produced by the butter underneath
could be removed.
Another great improvement is the spring to hold
the cover and the slip-collars which hold the
journals, or pivots, of the cover in place.
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"A WORD per MONTH"
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FOLDING BISCUIT BOX
BISCUIT WARMER
This is a type of biscuit box in the form of a stand
having two or three bowls hinged at the bottom.
When the device is closed the bowls rise to a vertical
position fastening to the central column. The column has
a loop handle or an ornamental finial.
The bowls drop to a horizontal position when biscuit box
is open. Each bowl has a hinged flap with pierced work
to help retain the warmth. ....
more
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"A SILVERSMITH per MONTH"
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JOHN ROUND & SON LTD
successors of JOHN ROUND and JOHN ROUND & SON
The firm was established by
John Round in Sheffield in 1847 as a small familiar
workshop attached to his house in Tudor Street.
The business proved successful and the firm in
partnership with his son Edwin went under the title of
John Round & Son.
In 1874 the firm became John Round & Son Ltd. At the
time the Round family ceased to have an active rule in
the business and the firm was managed by Henry Pawson,
Joseph Gamble and J.B. Barber as directors (in 1875
Edwin Round & Son Ltd, Holly Street, entered its mark in
Sheffield Assay Office).....
more
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"A BOOK ON MY SHELF"
In this column we present books, new
or ancient, dealing with silver in all its aspects (history,
marks, oddities...). This isn't a "book review" but only a fair
presentation of some useful "tools" that anyone may have in the
shelf of his bookcase.
ASCAS members are invited to contribute to this column
(click to enlarge images)
In the "book on my shelf" of this month ASCAS presents:
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AMERICAN SILVERPLATE
by Dorothy Rainwater with Donna Felger
Schiffer Publishing Ltd - Atglen PA - USA
-2000-
Beautiful silverplate has graced American homes
since the earliest days. Though a source of pride and
pleasure for so long, little has been written about it.
Now, in this volume, you find a complete history of
silverplating materials, refining process, and design
changes. Color illustration and more than 500
photographs and line cuts depict the full range of
silverplated articles from colonial days to the present.
In compiling the contents, Mr. and Mrs. Rainwater
utilized approximately 28 sources including silverplate
manufacturers and collectors.
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Closing our October 2012 edition of ASCAS Newsletter I
hope you have appreciated its content.
Your comments, suggestions and advice will be of great help.
My thanks to Christene de Somer, Matthew Grieb, David McKinley,
Norbert Mizne, Dr. David N. Nikogosyan, Rosa Pericone and
Cornelia Thier for their invaluable contributions.
Giorgio Busetto
Secretary
DISCLAIMER AND PRIVACY POLICY
ASCAS is a community of people having a common
interest in antique silver.
It is a non-profit association without commercial links.
Membership is open to whomever has a true interest in
this subject matter.
ASCAS has no real property and no fees are requested nor
accepted from members.
ASCAS keeps in touch with its members only through
periodical newsletters, e-mails and web-site updating
and ignores and is not responsible for any other
activity pursued by its members.
Likewise, ASCAS is not responsible for opinions,
evaluation and images displayed, and in any form
published or supplied for publication, by its members
who, in any case, maintain the property of their works
and assure the respect of national and international
legislation about Intellectual Property.
ASCAS does not have the full addresses of its members (only
town, country and e-mail address are requested for
membership).
ASCAS handles and protects with care its members' e-mail
addresses, will not disclose the addresses to third
parties, will use this information only to reply to
requests received from members and for communications
strictly related to its activity.
These rules are expressly accepted by submitting the
membership request.
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newsletter # 101 October 2012
