Explain these marks to me?

These marks are on two little cutesy models I bought.

They were described as sterling silver, but I don't recognize the marks at all.

They were an auction house win, and the catalog description was "sterling silver models".

One is a little model of a drawbridge, the other is a model of a spinning wheel.



The second photograph has a stamp that looks like a sword hallmark which is part of Dutch silver marking traditions, but I'm not entirely sure.

 

Had a second look, under very strong light and powerful magnification.

Both models are DEFINITELY marked at least twice-each, with a teeny-tiny little sword hallmark.

What does that indicate? The only sword mark I'm familiar with is Dutch. Does it pop up anywhere else?

 

luv to see the items .....they sound cool.

 

Taking photos now. I'll upload them in a bit.

The hallmarks (if that what they be) are almost impossible to photograph because they are ABSOLUTELY MICROSCOPIC!!

I didn't even spot two of them, because I thought they were surface blemishes. But upon (MUCH) closer inspection, I can see that they're CLEARLY meant to be hallmarks. The question is - what do they mean??

 

Here's the bridge:



Photos of spinning wheel coming soon!

 

Nice.. Very cool indeed!

 

And here's the wheel:

It has exactly the same hallmarks as the other piece, so clearly made by the same maker.

 

Gorgeous miniatures. Delicate silver miniatures like this are usually Dutch.
So yes, those are Dutch sword marks, in this case the ones for 1906-1953. These cuties are not sterling as the auctioneer claimed, the marks are for .833 silver. Most of these miniatures are .833 or .835, modern ones are usually .925, so those are sterling.
The maker's mark, BV separated by a symbol (possibly silverpliers), is of Bijkamp in Steenwijk, Overijssel. Bijkamp was a known miniatures maker, but they also made other silver items.

https://keuren.zilver.nl/meestertekens-zilver/1501/

More about Bijkamp on the site of the municipal museum of Steenwijk (in Dutch only):

https://www.stadsmuseumsteenwijk.nl/content/13-Zilver_Bijkamp.html?menu_parent=13

 

Thank you so much!!

I had pretty much guessed they were Dutch once I saw the swords, and realized what they were, but I couldn't figure out anything else. Big help!!

 

Glad to have been of help.