Brass spoon handle with 5 hallmarks. One hallmark is a gear? How old?

FreeBirdTim

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Sep 24, 2013
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Digging at one of my cellar holes today and found this brass spoon (or fork) handle. It has 5 hallmarks on it, but I can't ID most of them. One is definitely a gear or a cog, but the rest are kind of fuzzy. Any help as to where this handle was manufactured and how old it may be would be appreciated.


DSC08563.JPG DSC08561.JPG
 

Your "cog" is actually considered a "floral" by some... and a "star" by others.

Just thought I would throw that out there.
 

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Oh... and I am pretty sure its "Sheffield" as well.

but ?
 

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I'll take a shot at this...

#1 = A broken Jack-in-the-box
#2 = A wounded duck
#3 = Mickey Mouse
#4 = AARC's floral
#5 = A penguin bonking teapot?

In other words, they are all fakes.

Over the centuries, unscrupulous flatware makers have tried to make their wares look like silver by putting fake hallmarks on them. I believe that's what you have...

Fake Hallmarks • Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks
 

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That could be the correct answer. Just a bunch of made up hallmarks to make a silver plated spoon appear to be Sterling silver. Guess I'll never know how old it is based on the hallmarks.
 

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That could be the correct answer. Just a bunch of made up hallmarks to make a silver plated spoon appear to be Sterling silver. Guess I'll never know how old it is based on the hallmarks.

Actually the marks are in fact real marks.

None indicate "sterling" though.
 

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What sucks is... I found 2 of your marks at the time of my first post... on two different pieces...

I did not post for they were irrelevant to this spoon.

It was just a quick looksee into that "cog" mark which I had seen before.

Just did another to try and find it...

now I cannot find what I was looking at. :/
 

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Interesting that were trying to ID these with SILVER hallmarks. If im not mistaking on hallmarks that are octagonal indicate its from the U.K however this is BRASS..The cog may represent a star or sun. This makes for a great hunt.. neat find , either way its old and had a use at one time..This photo is on the back of a souvenir spoon that was made by Levi and Salaman to commemerate the maiden voyage of the RMS Olympic. Hope it helpslevisol.jpg
 

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I believe this is by Deykin & Sons, the first two symbols can be found on most of their stuff.
It looks like this was a fairly common practice to have "pseudo hallmarks" on british silver, both for covered and plated pieces. the image of the crown was banned in 1896, so this is older than that

20180506_024959.png Deykin & Sons

there is a good guide here: http://www.silvercollection.it/dictionarysilverplatepseudohallmarks.html

But it is late and I am tired.
 

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Great info, guys! Thanks for helping out. My guess is Civil War era, but I could be wrong.
 

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