Hallmark help!

I have a sterling silver bulldog. His head comes off. Not sure why, but that's where the hallmark is. I'm usually very good with hallmarks, but this one has me stumped! Can I enlist a little assistance?

 

Hi JonV.....I can't help, but just acknowledging your post to welcome you.

Those in the know will be along to offer their help.

 

The lion rampant mark looks Dutch, possibly Scottish. Here is a great page on Dutch marks:
http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=32028
And here is one on Scottish hallmarks:
http://www.ascasonline.org/articoloAPRILSCOT.html

Can we see a picture of the bulldog too?

 

The Lion Passant is for England.

The Lion Rampant is for Scotland, and I believe, a variety of European countries.

 

Here's the full item;

He's unusual

The lion passant looks more like a rampant lion which points more to Edinburgh. But that 'n' in a shield is the most puzzling part

 

Yes, it is a lion rampant, not passant. That lion is rampant in Scotland (not just Edinburgh) and The Netherlands. Possibly creating havoc elsewhere, but not that I know of.
I don't see the Edinburgh castle mark.

No other Scottish town marks either.
​

 

My guess is that this little fellow is a snuffbox. Or possibly a desktop vesta case.

 

Does it have anything to strike a match on?

 

Well we haven't seen every side of it yet, so possibly. At any rate, the surface itself looks pretty textured as it is.

 

there's no obvious area to strike a match on it. Definitely not a trinket box (as I originally presumed) because the legs are hollow so there's a never ending possibility of loosing all sorts of things down those legs lol

I guess it's origin and era is going to be a mystery then? A little disappointing, but makes this piece even more appealing

 

I'm sure something like this would've had a specific purpose. The head wouldn't come off for no reason.

 

Anyone else for Hanau?

http://www.925-1000.com/Fgerman_hanau_marks_01.html

 

Can't be an inkwell. The acidic nature of inks in those days would've eaten through the silver in no time at all.

 

You are amazing!!! Thank you!!


I gave it a sniff. Nothing peculiar except old dusty metal smell :-/

 

You're welcome, Jon.

 

He was made by Ludwig Neresheimer & Co. and imported by
Berthold Mueller.

I have also found that he is a tea caddy as these were made regularly by Ludwig Neresheimer in a range of different animals

 

Hi,
If he is not too big, there might have been a cushion under the head, on the neck for sewing needles.
greg

 

As Bakersgma suggests, Neresheimer of Hanau pseudo-marks, with British import marks of Berthold Muller partially obscured by a repair. Size isn't mentioned, but have seen similar figural pieces with a small thread and thimble holder attached to the removable head...

~Cheryl

 

Cheryl, could I point you at the bracelet thread on the Jools board please? Ta.

And yes, never a Scots mark, that. For that age, would have been a Thistle as the standard mark if it were Edinburgh, plus the castles and a date letter. The lion was the Glasgow standard mark after 1819, so if anything were missing it would have been the tree thingy for a Glasgow mark.

What's obscured is a town mark and date letter.