Marks on spoon

Hello Everybody

I am hoping somebody can help me identify this silver tablespoon.

It is finished in the fiddle and shell pattern and is struck 3 times with a fouled anchor mark. I am really struggling to find any information either online or in my all be it limited collection of reference books.

Any help greatfully appreciated.

 

I looked through my silver marks of the world book and the only one similar is Norrtalje Sweden.

 

Welcome, Red. It can be helpful to show a straight-on image of the spoon, as well as a back-view (but your pics are nice and clear). It's unlikely this piece is Swedish (and though faint, the anchor does appear fouled), I'd suspect early 19th century Scottish provincial, or other provincial or colonial origin. From what I can see in the picture, the top of the spoon looks Scottish, with longish, slender proportions, not unusual to find multiple strikes of the same mark on Scottish provincial silver, but the lack of a maker's mark would be unusual...

~Cheryl

 

Thank you both for your replies and the welcome.

Cheryl, I have added a couple of extra images, although I am not sure if they will help with further identification, fingers crossed somebody may have seen the marks before.

 

Doesn't change my initial impression, perhaps someone else will have some better information - but for future reference, when you have a straight-on shot of a spoon, it gives the correct proportions of it, when you take it at an angle, it gives a distorted effect as in your last pic of the front, the image of the back is better in that respect and also shows the drop, the placement of the marks, etc.

~Cheryl

 

I did notice the anchor was fouled, but this was the nearest I could find. I can see where you are coming from with Scottish. I have handled a lot of Scottish provincial in the past. I can only think of Dumfries and Greenock to check.

 

Thanks again to both of you for your observations and advice.

 

Figured you'd see it, it just sort of screamed Scottish to me...

Link below is a 2015 auction for four Scottish provincial fiddle ladles in the shorter top English style (either form wouldn't be uncommon), two bear the Greenock maker's initials with two anchors, two bear only three anchors - to my eye, appears to be the same anchors on all four. To be clear, am only showing an example of Scottish provincial marks struck thrice - they are not the same anchors as yours, and believe the fouled anchor would more likely be from Dumfries. I have limited Scottish references, and little time to poke around online, but further research might turn up the maker or at least an attribution...

https://www.tooveys.com/lots/277575...rovincial-silver-fiddle-pattern-toddy-ladles/


~Cheryl

 

Thanks very much Cheryl, I appreciate your time and effort in helping me out.

 

Should mention that, while most commonly found on Dumfries and Greenock silver, an anchor could also be found on pieces from other port towns, but the fouled anchor usually on Dumfries silver...

~Cheryl