Need dates for Reed & Barton silverware

I have two sets of Reed and Barton silver spoons that are the same design with different hallmarks. Can anyone help me identify the dates they were made?

 

In general, the ones with the pictorial mark should be earlier than the ones with the name in script. The better way to date them is for you to post pictures of the handles, showing the design.

 

Thank you Bakers. I figured that as well. I have posted a pic with the design.

 

Also, look to see if there is an "H" mark, meaning "heavy."

I had a heck of a time pricing a set of R&B Francis - I didn't know there were Luncheon and Dinner sets that are differ by as little as 1/8 of an inch and those can be marked with "H" or with out, as well.

I'd never even seen or handles a full set of solid silver flatware, so it was a real learning experience for me, trying to figure out what we had true sets of. It is beautiful *sigh*

 

FWIW, I agree with Baker that pictorial mark is older. My silver is Francis I. It was all bought new in 1966. All the pieces have the script mark. The fruit design on your spoon appears to be that on Francis I ice tea spoons.

Just to add a little trivia, the fruit design on this piece is orange, plum, and apple. There are 15 different fruit designs. This particular design was/is used on the following pieces:
Boullion, 5 o'clock, ice tea spoons; ice cream fotk; jelly; cheese servers; fruit, tea, & child's knives according to the Francis First brochure printed in 1948.

--- Susan

 

That is Francis 1! How much of it do you have? Ours had 120pcs with servers - the most desirable...

The Silver Lining has marks (L) Old (R) New:



ebay 66pc Francis 1

 

Replacements gives a discontinuation date range for Francis I with the script mark of 1950-2015. Not terribly helpful in determining the age of your pieces, but I doubt it matters much. You know that the pictorial marked ones have an earliest date of 1907, keeping in mind that this pattern had an extremely long life, they could have been made anytime from then until mid-century or so when Reed and Barton switched to the script style.

 

Right, Bakersgma...

"Old mark" will convey to informed buyers that it is older than "New mark," but not much else. The pattern was designed by Ernest Meyer in 1906.

 

Sometimes the length of pieces is changed over time to match current fashion, though. Don't know if that was case with Francis I, but I have experienced the problem when buying additional pieces of one of my patterns second hand.

 

Thank you all so very much. This answers my question.