Help with a European Silver mark. Probably German. 800/830

I’ve got this giant ladle I need some help with. Over 5oz and over a foot long. Thought the mark was 800 with a star at the end when I saw photos originally. Thought it was maybe Italian that found its way into Germany or a Nordic country. Finally got it under a loupe and it could be an 830 not an 800. Not sure as the mark is poorly struck. Also not sure it’s a star anymore. Could be from Denmark or most likely Germany. The inscription may help if you’re good with names. I think it reads “a memory/souvenir from Emma Schafer” I can’t make out the mark to the left of the purity which I assume is the makers mark. It just looks like three vertical blobs to me. Seller dated it to 1815 based on something the previous owner said I think. They also called it “coin” though. Would love some thoughts on this sucker.

I wonder if it’s this same Emma Schafer!? https://yorkblog.com/yorktownsquare...h-for-pa-dutch-woman-emma-schafers-relatives/

I love imaging the woman that used this and what she used it for. Maybe it resided in the home of a wealthy family and never got used much. However I like to imagine it was a woman who owned a restaurant or tavern/inn and served lots of soup to hungry customers with it everyday.

 

The crescent moon and crown are the German national marks. It's 800. Previous owner probably called in "coin" because it's lower than sterling, but as we know it, "coin" in the US is usually 900, so the ladle does not really qualify for that designation. It's hard to say what the last symbol is. That's what we need to figure out to determine the maker.

 

And by the way - the crescent moon and crown mark did not exist before 1886 in Germany (because Germany was not a country, but rather a bunch a separate kingdoms.)

 

crescent and crown and 800. German. after 1888. Zum Andenken and a ladle means probably a gift from one girl to another girl that was married and opened her own household.

 

Think I might see a six-pointed star or star of David shape to the maker's mark, Grimminger is the first name that came to mind, but there were others who used that shape (if that's even what it is). Might note that it's a pretty normal size for a soup ladle, though uncommon, have seen them as large as 16", and even longer in punch ladles...

~Cheryl

 

Grimminger would definitely make sense based on what I found after searching. Looks like he worked in .830 and .800 quite a bit so whichever my ladle is it could have been him. Like you said looks like others used a similar mark though. It’s huge compared to any I have but I’m sure there’s others like it and larger as you mentioned.

 

Zum Andenken definitely has the sound of a gift from a woman. I probably should have seen is was crescent and crown, obvious now that you’ve pointed it out. Thanks

 

why should that be the sound "from a woman" ?

 

if it translates to “a memory of/from” that sounds more feminine to me.

 

seems you don't know any German.

 

I certainly do not. Outside of danka and words you would learn studying WWII. Thanks for pointing that out! In the language I do know it sounds more like how a woman would phrase something to me after thinking about it when you pointed out it was likely to have been a gift from a woman due to it being a ladle and saying Zum Andenken. As far as how it sounds or is in German I haven’t the slightest. Language for me is not only not a strong suit but a major weakness. I can learn words easily enough but putting them all together in the proper way, conjugation, and whatnot have always given me problems. So now I know danka, fuhrer, and that Zum Andenken doesn’t sound feminine. I’ll be conversing in Berlin in no time!

Edit: spelling.

 

the font of the engraving was in use to at least the 1960s.