Amber Urn ID & Marking Help??

Any help appreciated!

 

How big is it? Are the marks that rubbed or just out of focus?
If that is solid amber and not some simulant, it is pretty valuable. The Chinese would go mad for it.

 

Hi,
Check to make sure it is amber, looks like melted plastic from your photos. If it were amber I would expect a better handle. I am getting a real 1970s vibe from this thing. A lot of better photos would help clear it up. It still is an interesting item.
greg

 

Sperls, when you use the macro setting for close-ups, hold the camera 6 or 7 inches from what you are photographing.
You can always crop out the excess after.
That way it is easier for your camera to focus.

I learned that from a former eBay boardie years ago.

Greg, I *think* those are silver hallmarks? Would they have used that on a 1970s piece?

 

Thanks for your replies....I also believe they are silver marks....I am not familiar

with Amber...This could be Amber pieces embedded in plastic?

 

It is 6" tall

 

Much better pics - now we wait for the folks that know their marks.
I, alas, am not one of them.
I can sometimes find easy ones, but when foreign or odd ones come up, I am lost.

 

The mark on the right is for Poland, 800 purity, post 1963. The center mark, is a re-marking mark, also post 1963. I have yet to figure out the first mark.

Re-assay of an older piece?

 

1963-86 Polish .800 silver, what I'd expect to see on Baltic amber - have seen siver-mounted teacups, etc. before...

~Cheryl

 

Now I know why I thought I had answered this already, it is also on the ebay board.

The fact that it comes from a Baltic state is good for it being real amber. Amber is fairly easy to test, simplest is the static electricity test. Rub it on a cat, or failing that a piece of cloth, and see if it will attract tiny pieces of paper.

 

The first mark has a 12. Leading me to 12 loth. If so, much prior to Poland becoming a state in 1920. Before that, if memory serves, Poland was divided up amongst Austria, Prussia and Russia.

 

Yes.... I tested it with rubbing a cloth on it...The paper did stick.

 

I knew there was a reason for my cat!

 

What's the letter, left of the head in the last mark?

 

Morning, Sue!

 

Morning! I'm leaning towards mid-19th century Prussian - 1st mark being a city assay mark. Can't find it yet. Re-assayed Poland post 1963. Hmmmmm?

 

I can`t make out the letter to the left?

Here is another picture

 

G? Gdansk? Would make sense, it on the Baltic. That may shoot my theory all to heck! hahahaha

 

Not sure why the re-mark sometimes appears on Polish silver of this era when no older or foreign marks are present, have seen it questioned before without any clear answer. Was a pretty tumultuous time in Poland, perhaps the silver material itself was imported and whatever party official was in charge decided to add that mark. Those marks are pretty typical, the mark on the left, which I read as either 'PY 1/2' or 'PT 1/2', should be the maker's mark - personally, have little doubt by both marks and appearance, that its original manufacture dates to the 1963-86 window...

~Cheryl

 

Ah! Now I see the 1/2.