Anyone know the maker or pattern of these two spoons?

Hi there,

I have two etched unmarked spoons I could use help with in identifying:

One spoon is stamped EP ON NS. I am pretty certain it is not the maker's mark and simply stands for "Electroplate on Nickel Silver."

The other spoon is not stamped at all but it looks like the base metal is brass. (And it has an interesting partially scalloped edge to the bowl.)

Both have real mother of pearl handles. I am pretty certain both are electroplate. Anyone think they can figure out the maker or pattern of these spoons? Or give an estimate of the date at least?

 

Hello.. Welcome

If you would please go to Edit and click on the button to make your images appear large within the posting. It will be of benefit to you. As you have them now, each image has to be individually enlarged by the viewer. Thanks

Eddie

 

Done. Sorry about that. I am new here. I thought that maybe they were that way because I had uploaded more than one.

 

The stamp looks like "B,& OM" to me

 

Terry, that was my first thought, too. "B" as the first. The close-up photo is pretty dark.

But looking at it a 2nd time I now think the points of the "E" are sort of styled in a wider way, almost touching, and then the light from the photo is coming off from the side creating a shadow on all the letters making and E look like a B. Could be wrong. A better photo -- maybe in natural light, would help.

Oh, and welcome GoodEye...

 

I've look at these markings several times and still not sure what they are. Like Terry, I first though "B" for the first letter, but after editing, etc... the pic I now agree with Lucille on it being an "E" followed by another letter that could be a P, F or R. I think there may be a period or dot after the "E." The middle punch looks like 2 letters that could be OW or ON and the last punch N.S or W.S. I haven't seen Electroplating on Nickel Silver markings like these before, but doesn't mean they aren't out there. I just don't know for sure what the markings are. Following are a couple of my edited versions.

--- Susan

 

Hi there. And thanks. Yeah..I was having a bad photography day. I took one round of pictures in natural light--but it was too sunny out so they were all over exposed and/or blurry. The second round of pictures I dragged out a special artist's light I use for when I am painting. It is a 6500K light which simulates daylight but I was still having problems. So then I tried hiding under a black velvet skirt with just a crack of light coming in--LOL! I got clearer pictures, but unfortunately with shadows. I will try to do another round of pictures when I have a more suitable overcast day for photography.

 

Yeah. Your photos are the same marks alright. I noticed what I thought was a period for an abbreviation on my mark as well. I still think the final letter in the middle mark is "N" spelling "ON" because the character in the next mark has the exact same quirky stamp qualities (a slanted last leg on the N) and would spell "N.S." So, if I am right and it simply reads "E.P. ON N.S." then I am back to square one not knowing who made these or what pattern they are. Do you know anything about those photos you pulled up? Are those photos linked to a specific maker?

 

Forget my above reply. The OP (Original Poster) is right on it being "EP ON NS" - Electroplate on Nickel Silver (E.P ON N.S). Scroll about 1/2 way down the following page to see this markings in the same oval punches:
http://www.silvercollection.it/electroplatesilverEHdue.html

"a generic mark for Electro Plated Nickel Silver used together or without maker's mark ."

--- Susan

 

Afraid so.

Those are my edited versions of your picture. I cropped your picture, zoomed way in on it and fooled around with brightness, contrast, focusing/clarity, noise reduction, unsharpened mask, and inverting colors, negative images, etc...

--- Susan

 

Ah, ok! LOL! Well no wonder they seemed to match perfectly. Nice job on sharpening it up. (I am still learning to use my camera.) If you don't mind, I would like to borrow your pics for when I try to sell these.

 

Hold the fort! Here is an ivory handle bread fork with ornate design that may??? be of the same period as yours; however, doubt the handle of yours are ivory? Hopefully others will chime in on exact the material of the handles. It has the same markings as yours with maker unknown.
http://www.sellingantiques.co.uk/190507/handsome-silver-plated-carved-ivory-bread-fork-c1890/

--- SUsan

 

Have at them. Nowwww if you happen to sell them for say a $1,000,000 or so, I'll take 50%, thank you!

--- Susan

 

They are late 19th-early 20th century pearl handled jam spoons, most likely English, there wouldn't be any sort of pattern name, and without a trademark, it would be near impossible to identify the maker, similar pieces were produced by numerous manufacturers (items were often offered with the option of pearl or ivory handles, the pearl being more expensive at the time). You might check the ferrules for silver marks, they were sometimes sterling even with silverplate working ends, and some might find that a bit more desirable...

~Cheryl

 

Beautiful fork! Both of mine are mother-of-pearl though. (Which, though MOP is less valuable, I still like better.) But beautiful fork none-the-less. Much more refined than my spoon(s). I suspect the elongated spoon is actually silverplate over brass, while the other spoon is silverplate over nickel silver. Unfortunately, I don't think I will be able to sell them over $1,000,000, much less $10. But if I do strike it rich with these spoons, I'll be sure to look you up.

 

I guess it would help if I gave the measurements. Here's some more specific info:

Elongated [Pointed] Spoon: Silver on Brass; Mother-of-Pearl Handle; Brass Ferrule
Total Length: 6 7/8" (Bowl is 2.5 x 1.38 inches with an interesting ruffled towards the neck)

Rounded Spoon: "E.P. on N.S." Mother-of-Pearl Handle; Silver Ferrule (no stamp on ferrule indicating whether it is a sterling or silverplated ferrule)
Total Length: 5 5/8" (Bowl is 1.88 x 1 1/8")

Knowing the size now, do you think they are still jam spoons?

 

Yes.

~Cheryl

 

Ok thanks. Well, though I still don't know the maker, at least I now know the proper name for the type of spoon they are.