Featured 18th Century Dutch Silver Bowl

Discussion in 'Silver' started by Shangas, Sep 28, 2017.

  1. Shangas

    Shangas Underage Antiques Collector and Historian

    Help please!!

    I won this at auction (along with that big black silver vase). The description said it was an 18th century Dutch silver bowl.

    While I don't doubt that it's both Dutch, and Silver, I don't understand how it was dated as 18th century. It certainly looks extremely bloody old, but that's about all I can figure. It's gilt inside, and has some lovely repousse work on it. The base is slightly cracked from age and it has hallmarks punched into the underside of the bowl...

    dutchbowl02.jpg dutchbowl03.jpg dutchbowl05.jpg dutchbowl01.jpg

    I do not recognise any of the hallmarks. None of the websites I visited were of any help.

    The one on the left looks like a Lion Rampant, with a C next to it. I believe this to be the fineness mark, denoting purity.

    The one on the top looks like a crown or a shield of some sort. This, I guess, is the assay mark, where it was stamped and tested.

    The other two (right, and below), I can't make out at all! I guess they're the date letter/code, and the maker's mark.

    Help!! :eek:
     
  2. Shangas

    Shangas Underage Antiques Collector and Historian

    Done a bit of research.

    The lion rampant with crown (left mark) is purity for 93.4% silver.

    I can't figure out the other marks though.
     
    Christmasjoy likes this.
  3. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Could you post another picture of just the marks?
     
    Christmasjoy likes this.
  4. Shangas

    Shangas Underage Antiques Collector and Historian

    I shall try, but they're tricky to snap...
     
    Christmasjoy likes this.
  5. Shangas

    Shangas Underage Antiques Collector and Historian

  6. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    I think you may have a nice pre-1807 piece of Frisian silver, made in the town of Leeuwarden. Friesland is a province in the north of The Netherlands, Leeuwarden is the capital of Friesland.
    If I am right, this is valuable, every silver collector in The Netherlands has to have at least one piece of Frisian silver.
    Check this page, halfway down under City of Leeuwarden:
    http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=32028

    Edit:
    I was a bit hesitant in writing the above, because your piece, while nice, doesn't have the Frisian quality I am used to.
    I did a bit of research, and it seems I am not the only one who came across this. A recent study found evidence that some Frisian silversmiths bought silver objects in Amsterdam and struck them with their own mark. Friesland was semi-independent at the time, and did not have the guild and marking control the other provinces had. Frisian silversmiths also struck their own guarantee marks at the time, so you may want to test the silver content.
     
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2017
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