Please help Identify Silver Hallmark

Picked up this small sterling footed dish at a local estate sale today. I am a complete novice and looking for a little help please. Who made this and when? Hallmark in 3d picture; enhanced makers mark in last picture.
Thanks in advance for your help!!!


Enhanced makers mark

 

Looks like Alvin Manufacturing Co. American silversmith

 

I LUV IT!!! Yes, Alvin.

 

You can go here: http://www.925-1000.com/americansilver_A.html To glare and compare your mark. Bookmark this page if you don't already have it and have an interest in silver. Great page.

 

I use that site all the time, and it's been invaluable!

 

Thanks so much. Anyone know estimated date of manufacture?

 

A lot of times you can click on the identifying mark in that link, and you will get the history of a company, with dates of operation. Sometimes that helps.

 

This Alvin mark is reversed! The circle with the crescent & sword should be on our right and the circle with eagle on our left. The mark looks doubled stamped.

I don't know of any site online for dating this mark of Alvin's. The company was organized as Alvin Mfg. Co. in 1886. The company name was changed a few times through the years. In 1897 it was purchased by the Joseph Fahys & Co. and operated as a branch of the firm from 1898-1910. In 1919 the name was changed to Alvin Silver Co. In 1928 Gorham bought the company changing its name to the Alvin Corporation. It is still a division of the Gorham Corporation. If I had to guess, I'd say this hollowware bowl was made since it was a branch of Gorham Silver.

Sites with a little Alvin history:
http://www.sterlingflatwarefashions.com/Silversmiths/SSA2.html
http://the-office.com/estatejewelry/princeeugene.htm
http://www.silvercollection.it/americansilvermarks.html

Query posted on the Silver Salon forum about Gorham's acquisitions. Alvin is specifically mentioned in the 3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th postings:
http://www.smpub.com/ubb/Forum13/HTML/000007.html

--- Susan

 

Thank you so much @Ladybranch Awesome info!

Began as Alvin Mfg. Co. in 1886 and founded by William H. Jamouneau. With the addition of partners in 1893, including George B. Beiderhase, the name was changed to Alvin-Beiderhase Co. According to this discussion on http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37262 they seem to think that the reversed mark (as on my piece) was used between 1886 and 1893.

On the discussion, they compare the newer Alvin-Biederhase mark (1893 -later) with the earlier Alvin Mfg. Co mark 1886-1893


I found this makers mark for an Alvin-Biederhase spoon dated to 1898 - it is pretty different from mine but also has the eagle (?) on left and the sword (?) on the right as you described.

Here's a link to the item. https://www.ebth.com/items/3138055-...898-grand-army-of-the-republic-souvenir-spoon

 

Probably dates right around 1900, reminds of their 'Majestic' multi-motif flatware pattern enough to think it may have had the same designer. Believe Alvin put that mark in use sometime in the mid 1890s, and it seemed to go out of use in the 1910s - the reversed variant of the mark isn't particularly uncommon, have run across it quite a few times...

~Cheryl

 

Sorry, didn't see any evidence on that 925-1000 thread regarding the dating of the reversed mark, just an unfounded assumption by the OP (his flask is unlikely to date earlier than 1895, when Alvin acquired patent rights to the silver deposit technique they used), and have seen the reversed/mirrored variant on pieces that were not introduced until the early 20th century. Possible that mark came into use in 1897, when the company was acquired by Fahys, and does seem likely the earlier 'wyvern' mark was from the Beiderhase years...

~Cheryl

 

Thanks @DragonflyWink I am a novice. What is the 'wyvern' mark?

 

The mark with the dragon-like creature shown on the links with Alvin marks that Susan posted...

~Cheryl