by Dorothea
Burstyn ©
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(click on photos to enlarge)ALL THESE
NUMBERS....
In 'The Berry Silver Flatware Pattern by Whiting'
(note 1) William P. Hood, Jr. at a1. pointed
to Whiting's mysterious numbering system for flatware
pieces.
This gave me pause to think about all kinds of numbers,
found on flat- and hollowware. Most collectors are
familiar with termini technici like scratch weight,
British registration mark, etc. but in conversations
about the various meanings of all these numbers, I found
out that knowledge about these is sketchy at best. An
article giving more info about all these numbers seemed
like a good idea.
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Let's start with the 'easy ones'. Fig. 1 shows the lid
and rim of a sauce tureen, bearing the numbers 4, thus
indicating that lid fits to body, but also that this
tureen was one of a set of four. Due to the common and
unfortunate practice of splitting up table and flatware
services at auction sales or between family members, 'pairs'
with the numbers 3 and 4 might be offered. A 'pair' with
the numbers 1 and 2 might be a true pair or the first
ones in a series of a larger number of items. Wine
coolers and soup tureens and their liners are often such
numbered, with the proper way of assembly (after
cleaning) in mind. |
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fig.1: Mid Victorian Sauce Tureen lid and body are
both marked 4
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Fig.2 shows a beautiful entrée dish by Mortimer and Hunt,
London 1843, the lid does not quite fit and the numbers
on body and lid '1 and 4' tell the rest of the story. It
might have been the butler, who in one inattentive
moment after cleaning managed to 'destroy' right away
two pieces of the service.
Numbering was also a common practice for Scottish
flatware pieces. Toddy ladles were usually made in sets
of half a dozen and are often found with numbers 1- 6
stamped in. |
fig.2: Mortimer & Hunt Entrée Dish on Lid. London
1843, here numbers do not match
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Fig. 3 shows quite rare egg spoons, made ca. 1820 by
Alexander Cameron in Dundee. They are a 'set' of 6. The
fact, that they are numbered with 13, 14, 18, 20, 21 and
22 proves that there must have been 24 or more at one
time. An unexplained mystery is the number ' 34 ',
stamped on only one spoon, next to the monogram on a set
of 6 German spoons, all monogrammed with T. v. W. and
dating to ca. 1750. Fig. 4.
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Fig.3: Two egg spoons made by A. Cameron, Dundee,
stamped with 21 and 20
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Fig.4: 34 stamped on only one
spoon of a set of 6 German spoons, ca. 1750
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Larger collections with multiples of the same items
introduced inventory numbers. This practice was amply
illustrated in the Thurn and Taxis Collection.
(note 2) Two different systems have been used:
A- Consecutive numbers for multiples of the same items,
like for example Lot 87, 'A set of six German silver
meat dishes, J.C. Drentwett I, Augsburg 1755-5' is
numbered with the inventory number 1 - 6,
Lot 121: 'A set of eight German silver table
candlesticks, Daniel Schaeffler I, Augsburg, apparently
1712-15, one lacking inventory number, the others: 77,
78, 79, 81 to 84, also engraved with scratch weights.'
Consecutive numbers were also used for ice pails, set of
salts, casters, etc. |
B-
Inventory numbers with two parts were used for sets of
plates and flatware, as for example in Lot 98 'A set of
twelve German Silver Dinner plates, J. C. Drentwett I,
Augsburg 1755-57' is numbered with 33-1 to 33-12. Fig.5.
Lot 84 'A German silver-gilt dessert service, Johann
Beckert V, Augsburg 1757 '59' consisting of forty-two
dessert spoons, forty-two dessert forks and forty-two
dessert knives with silver blades and are stamped with
inventory numbers: 9-1 to 12, 10-1 to 12, 11-1 to 12 and
12-1 to 6.
(note 3)
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fig.5: Mid 18th Century plate # 33 - 6
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Many but by far not all early silver pieces have weights
scratched in underneath. Fig.6. Scratch weights on
flatware pieces are rare. Fig.7. To understand scratch
weights and to correctly convert them to today's weights
is of utmost importance for the collector. Deviations
from the scratch weight are indicators for alterations:
A conversion from a teapot into a (much higher prized)
tea caddy by removing the spout and handle, conversion
from a larger mug to a teapot, added borders, spouts,
handles: the examples are endless. Additions on English
silver pieces are of course marked with contemporary
hallmarks, but sometimes one has to really look hard for
these in elaborate borders and handles. The English
system of scratch weights is straightforward. Troy
weight is used.
1 pound (lb) = 12 ounces = 373.2 grams
1 ounce (oz) = 20 dwts = 31.103 grams
1 pennyweight (dwt) = 24 grains = 1.555 grams
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Fig.6: Mazarin, 1776 London, 28 oz. 13 dwt.
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Fig.7: Strainer spoon, London
1774, 3 oz. 18 dwt.
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American silversmiths adopted the English system. Fig. 8
shows the scratch weights on a silver brazier, made by
Myer Myers, New York, ca. 1755.
(note 4)
The weights for 18th century French silver are as
follows:
1 livre = 2 marcs = 489.506 grams
1 marc = 8 onces = 244.753 grams
1 once =8 gros = 30.594 grams
1 gros = 3 deniers = 3.824 grams
1 denier = 24 grains = 1.275 grams
1 grain = 0.053 grams |
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fig.8: Myer Myers Brazier
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French 18th century dinner plates of larger services are
stamped with consecutive inventory numbers, combined
with the scratch weights in marcs and onces.
(note 5) On March 28, 1812 the marc @ 250 grams
became the legal weight in France. In Switzerland the
weights mostly correspond to the French weights, with
three exceptions Zurich, Schwitz and Glaris used the
mark @ 234.9 grams. In Spain the mark weighed 230 grams
with small differences between various towns, Catalonia
268.35 grams and Navarre 244.6 grams. In Riga the mark
weighed 209 grams, in Vilnius only 194.8 grams
(note 6)
Most of the German lands used the Cologne mark.
(note 7) The Cologne mark converts to:
1 Pfund (lb) = 2 Marks = 467.71 grams
1 Mark = 8 Unzen = 233.856 grams
1 Unze = 2 Lot = 29.232 grams
1 Lot = 4 Quentchen = 14.616 grams
1 Quentchen = 4 Pfennig = 3.654 gram
1 Pfennig = 1/16 Lot = 0.9135 grams
1 Gran = 1/18 Lot = 0.812 grams
Fig. 9. shows the scratch weight, in German: 22 m[ark]//7
L[o]th, on La Machine d'Argent by Francoise Thomas
Germain for the Court of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.
(note 8) |
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Fig.9: 22 Mark //7 Loth on La Machine d'Argent
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As mentioned before, the Cologne standard was not used
everywhere. There are many exceptions, all given in
Fabian Stein's article, to mention a few: Augsburg = 1
mark = 236 grams, Nuremberg = 239 grams, Prague and
Bohemia = 239,1 grams, Vienna/Bozen and Tyrolia - 1
Viennese mark = 16 lot = 280.644 grams. Divergences in
weights plus the fact that various materials were
weighed with different weights (troy for precious
materials, avoirdupois for others) makes us appreciate
the easy metric system so much more.
Even though manufacturer's numbers are usually
associated with more 'modern' silver - used from about
the middle of the 19th century - an early predecessor
existed. Many, but not all, Storr silver pieces have
three-digit numbers stamped in, which could not have
been inventory numbers. N.M. Penzer calls these 'order
number of Storr & Mortimer'
(note 9), 'pattern number or job number'
(note 10) is probably a more apt description.
Variations and inconsistencies are many, for example
only three of a set of 4 wine coolers are stamped 887, a
dinner service made for Sir Thomas Picton, 1814, is
marked 167 on 2 meat dishes and covers, a large meat
dish, two rectangular dishes and covers. Yet the
matching soup tureen and stand is not marked with this
number.
(note 11) The manufacturer's numbers is a logical
further development, but now every item was given its
own specific number. Note Fig.10 casters and salts, made
London 1867/68 by Hunt and Roskell in the 'Ashburnham'
pattern, the salts are stamped with 4801, the matching
casters with 4671.
An assembled Victorian tea set, London 1840/41 features
stamped-in manufacturer's numbers - 2055 for the sugar
bowl and 2074 for the milk jug, both pieces made by
Charles Gordon, but the matching teapot, made by Francis
Dexter has no number. Fig. 11. The obvious deduction is
therefore that around middle of the 19th century not
every silversmith used manufacturer's numbers, but by
1880 manufacturer's numbers were fairly common.
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Fig.10: Hunt & Roskell Ashburnham Salt, # 4801, 1867
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Fig.11: Charles Gordon Sugar
Bowl, 1850/1 # 2055
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These numbers corresponded to order number in catalogues
or salesmen books as well as to numbers on cast moulds
and chucks.
(note 12) In American silver, the production of the
Gorham Manufacturing Company is best researched. The
John Hay Library in Providence, RI is the home of the
Gorham archives. Given the manufacturer's number, Samuel
J. Hough
(note 13) will research your Gorham silver item.
Gorham flatware patterns, as a rule, are designated
either by name or by number, but not both. However,
there are exceptions. For example, Gorham gave a
not-full-line pattern or grouping a name and then
designated different designs within that group by a
specific number. Flatware pieces with manufacturer's
numbers within a rectangle are special orders.
(note 14) Fig.12. |
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fig.12: Toasting Fork Special Order # 1357
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Tiffany flatware has generally two numbers: the first is
the pattern number; the second is the chronological
order number. Occasionally there is a third number,
representing a decoration design number. An example of
this kind of numbering is found on handmade Tiffany Lap
Over Edge dessert forks and spoons, on the back of the
spoon stamped with 356=pattern number, 1089=decoration
number and 3579=order number.
(note 15)
On English flatware pieces, yet another number with
different meaning is found. In Fig.13 a pair of
Victorian salt spoons with a journeyman's marks in the
form of the number '7' is shown. While most journeymen's
marks are symbols, numbers were also used. A journeyman
was a qualified craftsman who worked for a master. In
order to have a count of how many pieces a specific
craftsman had produced, a symbol or number was assigned
to him. The journeyman's mark may also have been a
method for quality control of produced pieces. It was
usually stamped in next to the sponsor's mark. In larger
flatware services, pieces with different journeymen's
marks may be found. To date there is no research into
the identification of individual journeymen.
(note 16) |
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Fig.13: Journeyman's Mark 7 on Salt Spoon
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On American hollowware one can find two different types
of numbers. Numbers consisting of 1-2 digits and
appearing on the underside of jugs, tea-and coffee pots
are capacity indicators - showing the capacity of the
vessel in half pints. Coffee pots normally bear the
number 7, tea pots the number 6, hot water pots the
number 5. Coffee urns may also bear capacity numbers,
usually between 13 and 20 half pints. 3-4 digits numbers
on American silver and silver-plate are manufacturing
numbers, denoting a certain pattern and also specific
types of items. In this connection I received a very
interesting email from Judy Redfield, who writes;
- 'Manufacturer's numbers can be used by researchers
for a variety of purposes other than simply tying an
item to an original catalogue. For example, since there
were very few companies that actually manufactured
silverplated hollowware, sometimes the catalogue numbers
on pieces can indicate which manufacturing firm was the
original producer of an item that bears the mark of a
smaller firm. If one is studying smaller firms it is
often helpful to determine who their suppliers were. The
book 'Victorian Silverplated Hollowware', published in
1972, reprints some old silverplate catalogues. One
catalogue it shows is Rogers Brothers Mfg. Co., for
1857. One might assume that the items shown in this
catalogue were originally manufactured by Rogers
Brothers, but certainly many, if not all, were not. They
were simply 'bought in the metal' and plated by that
firm.
For example, on page 29 of the book is shown a tea
service No. 1780. On the following page in the same
pattern is the matching coffee urn, and on the page
after that the matching water kettle. These pieces were
actually originally manufactured by Reed and Barton, not
by Rogers Brothers at all. How do I know? Because I have
the same pieces with the same catalogue numbers but
bearing the mark of Bancroft Redfield & Rice, a
contemporary of this particular Rogers Brothers firm.
One of my pieces, in addition to the number 1780, also
bears the mark of Reed & Barton. Both Rogers Brothers
and Bancroft, Redfield & Rice obtained some of their
wares from that source. Using catalogue numbers has
helped me to demonstrate a variety of other suppliers
for the Redfield companies as well. Besides if one looks
at all the tea service items in this Rogers Brothers
catalogue, one sees that the manufacturing numbers on
them are all in the 1700s. In addition to illustrating
the point about series numbering, this fact suggests
that the remaining tea service items in this Rogers
Brothers catalogue were also probably originally from
Reed & Barton as well.' -
(note 17)
To know manufacturing numbers of items has another
practical application for the collector. In their
chapter 'Fakes, Mistakes and Mysteries' in 'Figural
Napkin Rings', 1996, Gottschalk and Whitson point out
how manufacturing numbers can be used to verify the
authenticity (or lack of it) for certain items.
Gottschalk and Whitson illustrate how a variety of items,
such as toothpick holders, vases and card stands have at
times been 're-worked' to make them appear to be napkin
rings, due to the collecting popularity of the latter.
The manufacturing numbers on the pieces, when compared
to catalogues, indicate the item's true original
function.
(note 18)
The mid 19th century saw a tremendous increase in
manufacturing firms; international exhibitions promoted
trade but must have been also fertile hunting grounds
for trades people who were out to copy successful models
of other companies rather than developing their own. The
need for some protection was acute and the patent laws
catered to this. Registered patents were protected from
piracy for a period of three years. English silver shows
registration marks and numbers in addition to hallmarks,
- just for completeness it should be mentioned that
foreign companies or their agents also could register a
patent, so not all items with British registry marks are
necessarily of British manufacture. See Fig. 14.
The letters for the months are in both periods the same:
A = December, B = October, C or O = January, D =
September, E = May, G = February (and March 1st - 6th
1878), H = April, I = July, K = November (and December
1860), M = June, R = August (and Sept.1-19th 1857), W =
March.
Roman numerals are used to designate materials: I for
metal, II for wood, III for glass and IV for ceramics,
etc. |
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1842 - 1867
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1868 - 1883
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Fig. 14:registry
mark used between
1842 - 1867 |
Fig.14: registry mark used
between
1868 - 1883
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YEAR |
LETTER |
MONTH
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LETTER |
YEAR |
LETTER |
MONTH
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LETTER |
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1842 |
X |
January
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C |
1868 |
X |
January
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C |
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1843 |
H |
February
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G |
1869 |
H |
February
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G |
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1844 |
C |
March
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W |
1870 |
C |
March
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W |
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1845 |
A |
April
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H |
1871 |
A |
April
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H |
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1846 |
I |
May
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E |
1872 |
I |
May
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E |
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1847 |
F |
June
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M |
1873 |
F |
June
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M |
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1848 |
U |
July
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I |
1874 |
U |
July
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I |
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1849 |
S |
August
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R |
1875 |
S |
August
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R |
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1850 |
V |
September
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D |
1876 |
V |
September
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D |
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1851 |
P |
October
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B |
1877 |
P |
October
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B |
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1852 |
D |
November
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K |
1878 |
D |
November
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K |
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1853 |
Y |
December
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A |
1879 |
Y |
December
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A |
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Fig.15 shows the marks of a wine jug which patent can be
dated to October 28, 1875, it is hallmarked for 1878,
therefore within the protected period for the patent.
Even if the patent was long expired, the registration
number was often stamped in, see Fig. 16, the patent No.
5518 for a clever mechanism, whereby the moving of the
handle causes the lid to open or close is found on two
nearly identical jam jars, one marked for London 1898,
by Heath & Middleton, the other marked Birmingham 1929
by Mappin and Webb. |
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Fig.5: Patent registration mark on wine jug, for
October 28, 1875, next to manufacturers mark of 2661 D
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Fig.6: Mechanism for closing
and opening a jar, stamped with British patent
registration No. 5518
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From January 1884 registered designs were numbered
consecutively and these numbers appear on wares with the
prefix 'Rd' or 'Rd No.' Fig. 17.
(note 19) Both English and American patents can be
searched on the net. A warning, it is a long and
time-consuming process.
(note 20) Judy Redfield is doing enormous research
into American silver-related patents and last time I
heard from her, she had things recorded to the middle of
1907.
(note 21) It is to be hoped that once finished, she
will publish the results of her research. |
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fig.17: British Patent registration No. 189088 for
1892 on a small pickle fork dated 1893/4
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Probably inspired by the financial success of limited
edition lithographs, modern silver companies started to
offer limited edition pieces. Apart from the more
pedestrian offerings like reproductions of vintage cars,
wall plaques for Christmas, Norman Rockwell scene
plates, etc - which can be seen regularly on Ebay - it
is to mention that serious silversmiths like Stuart
Devlin also participated in this fad. He produced
various silver eggs in limited editions of 100, 300 and
500, modelled on Faberge eggs - a nice-looking egg with
a surprise inside: there are the 1975 Easter egg, the
1980 Silver Jack in the Box egg, the 9 Ladies Dancing
egg to name just a few of his many limited edition
items. Fig.18 shows a London 1979 egg, stamped 259 500. |
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Fig.18: Limited edition number 259/500 on decorative
egg, London 1979
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In closing I want to mention a set of numbers, you do
not want to find on your silver - hastily scratched in
numbers - are often referred to as repair numbers and
were scratched in by silver repair shops in order not to
mix up repair jobs. There is a grey area though, since
some collectors thought they were inventory numbers for
retailers or maybe pawnbroker's marks. |
Dorothea Burstyn - 2005 -
photos by Douglas Hawkes
this is an article published on 2005 issue of the
'Journal' of the Silver Society of Canada
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ASSOCIATION OF SMALL COLLECTORS OF ANTIQUE SILVER
