Personally, regardless of your decision, spending 2 1/2 hours with someone like that and learning more about your piece was a priceless...
Beautiful piece. Not sure why you don't believe there aren't many competent restorers and/or conservators in the US, there are several here in...
Some Google images:...
It's a 'Gay Nineties' jewel button, used on coats and cloaks, circa 1890s-1910s. ~Cheryl
Couldn't hurt, but despite the atypical löth mark, believe it's more likely Schwäbisch Gmünd. You might consider posting it in the German forum...
Can't really add much, the 19th century Schwäbisch Gmünd unicorn is pretty distinctive, though I do find the fractional '13¼' löth (.828) mark...
From the first wife's company, not the current one - personally would think the same overseas factory produced the necklaces for both companies......
I'm no expert on Russian gold and silver marks, an area filled with fakes, but to my eye, your marks aren't quite right, the quality of the...
A gate-top purse/bag: [ATTACH] ~Cheryl
Might suggest it's not a 'u', but a rubbed or poorly struck Danish 'two-tower' mark, used on silverplate from the late 19th century into the...
Believe the majority of filigree and plique-à-jour pieces in my collection are sterling, though also some in lower quality silver as well as...
Definitely not Russian (so many sellers want their silver to be Russian). My failing memory keeps telling me it's Turkish, the best match I can...
'4491' would be the pattern number, and the 'C' is the Director's mark of Charles T. Cook, indicating manufacture between 1902 and 1907, which...
Thank you! I have a lot of spoons, but some like that one, are extra special... And thank you for sharing all the fascinating information! ~Cheryl
Research online has been amazing for me, often turning up information that would have been difficult to find otherwise, sometimes adding to the...
For me, the way threads go 'off-topic' is part of the appeal of this group, most good conversation veers into different areas, your posts are...
Most of my reference books are in storage, but I keep around a hundred handy, the majority on silver - despite what some seem to think, not...
Closest I found in Hall's 'Alaska Souvenir Spoons & the Early Curio Trade' (2004): [ATTACH] Regarding the link provided, should keep in mind...
Sorry, just saw you're new - welcome to the forums! AI responses usually have inaccuracies regarding silver marks, and many other areas as well...
Not sure where you learned that, but you were misinformed, Gorham never used a 'G' alone mark. This is a Gebelein mark, Rainwater also shows...
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