Featured Odd silver? marks on unidentified handle pieces

These came in a random box I bought at auction in the spring. Had very random bits in it including a very fancy sterling silver parasol handle. I’m honestly not even sure these are silver. They may not be and if they are I assume they are .800 or lower purity. Look possibly pewter but I’m not sure if they used pewter for these very thin handle pieces. Whatever they are they were well loved because there are tiny repairs all over them and someone decided to save them after the objects they were on were disposed of. Not sure if the symbols that make up the pattern are meaningful or not? I assume they are. There is a TS mark and then one I cannot make out at all. It looked like Asian script for a moment and then I realized I had them upside down. They look European overall to me but these aren’t European hallmarks I know of which also makes me think maybe they are base metal. Britannia metal maybe? They are all very dull except for the very tip of one which very much looks silver.

I’ll test them when I get a chance but in the meantime any help is appreciated if anything looks familiar.

 

Certainly looks like a match to me. Good find, INH!

 

Out of curiosity, how long are these handles? The decor is so fancy and quirky, they look too ornate for flatware.

 

G

oooh thanks! Minus that middle symbol it does look like the other two match! Without knowing much about Old Sheffield Plate (believe it or not I did consider it a possibility here) I can't say if maybe these are common marks? I would think two of three is a match and his mark just changed over time to include that middle symbol. Maybe I'm wrong though and someone else used just the two on mine? Seems you're not convinced. Thanks for finding this! I guess I didn't look near long enough. I'll look more into Thomas Sansom when I get a chance.

 

I forgot to measure before leaving them in another state but I believe about 4" or so. I was also thinking they may not be flatware handles. Spent a while imagining what they would look appropriate on. Magnifying glass came to mind for I don't know what reason but no reason to have a few of those monogrammed. If you have any ideas I would love to hear them. (Cited from: https://www.antiquers.com/threads/odd-silver-marks-on-unidentified-handle-pieces.45051/)

 

Thanks for digging more! It would seem that they would be if these weren't common Sheffield Plate marks. I'm crazy busy today and don't have time to do much reading until tonight possibly. I did check them all and they are all the same. I think I had seven altogether, one must have went missing, or it's still hiding in the box, or maybe it was so damaged that they didn't save it.

 

The marks are typical of British electroplate (not unusual to have variations with the symbols), and note that the link INH posted is to 'English Electroplate Silver', with Sansom noted as in business from 1808 (before electroplating). The 'TS' mark was registered at the Sheffield assay office in 1808 for use on silver - the firm was known for cutlery, knives in particular, their mark can be found on both electroplate and sterling. Can't recall seeing that pattern before, did poke around in my flatware references without luck, but it has a Neo-Gothic look to it, and similar English silver designs usually date around mid 19th century...

Old Sheffield Plate, more often unmarked, should have a name and symbol, though often just a symbol was stamped (the Sansom symbol/devise shown on that page is a barrel): http://www.silvercollection.it/oldsheffieldhallmarks.html

~Cheryl

 

Thanks for all the great info! It looks like Sansom's marks would have stopped being used in 1847 when the business was acquired and underwent a name change. I found some of his sterling pieces based on your post and they are heavily hallmarked on all parts of the cutlery. That would make these very unlikely to be sterling IMO. They could be OSP which predates electroplating or could be EP which looks like it began in with Elkington in 1840 (although invented in 1805). I'm going to guess OSP because they just don't look like any EP I've ever seen. Could be wrong but that's my guess. The cutlery I see photos of was very ornate so maybe these were just flatware handles and not meant for something less as I thought might be the case.

Some sterling from TS: https://www.forrestandfraser.com/pr...fruit-dessert-knives-and-forks-sheffield-1868

Edit: falling asleep and typed wrong century.

Edit 2: the pattern certainly is interesting. I thought maybe it was religious in nature. Would be fun to find it. Thanks for poking around in your reference material.

 

I certainly never suggested they were sterling, they are definitely not sterling, and they are not marked as expected for Old Sheffield Plate (when it's even marked), but rather with marks typical of 19th century English electroplate, nor is the pattern one I'd expect in OSP - but if they are fused plate, would expect to see some copper bleed-through on the high points or visible at the open ends, you might look for that...


Here is an old thread on 925-1000, regarding similar marks on electroplate handles with close-plate working ends, Trev believes the marks to be Sansom's: https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17817 Unfortunately the pics are gone, but as described, they appear to be like those on this electroplate set: https://www.tias.com/2816/PictPage/3924280603.html





This is Sansom's OSP mark, registered Oct. 12, 1821 as a manufacturer of 'Goods Plated with Silver' in Sheffield:




Just as a note, those sterling fruit knives you linked are 1844 rather than the 1868 date given.


~Cheryl

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Ah ok, I didn't think you were suggesting sterling but just ruling it out more for myself. It's interesting to see he was working in sterling as well though. I didn't see any signs of copper poking through so maybe EP as you say. Considering the mark was different for his OSP work at some point as you mentioned even more likely these are EP. Good eye catching the year discrepancy! You're good! Can't imagine they have much value like this but I'll hold onto them either way. Maybe one day down the line I'll see the pattern somewhere else.