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2012 ASCAS membership
No fees are requested nor accepted for ASCAS membership.
Members still interested to ASCAS and its activity are invited
to send an e-mail to
confirming their 2012 membership (the simplest way is to
use the 'reply' button on our December e-mail).
I apologize for this little effort asked to whomever appreciates
and supports ASCAS activity.
No action is required to unsubscribe. Members not confirming
their membership will be automatically deleted from the sending
of our monthly Newsletter and will be suspended on
February 2012.
Please accept my best wishes for a happy Christmas and a
prosperous New Year and my thanks for your present or past
appreciation of my work.
Giorgio Busetto
ASCAS Secretary
Joanne Wiertella presents:
Antique Jewel Boxes as Souvenirs - American and
German
With the advent of the Industrial Revolution,
developments in metals production and the concept of
mass production were adopted in America and Europe by
the late 19th century. In the early 1900's, metal
objects like jewelry boxes and other novelties, could be
manufactured in quantity-far less costly to produce than
the one-on items created by craftsmen previously
available only to the wealthy.
International trade between countries had brought
attention to new decorative styles from all over the
world. The Industrial Revolution also encouraged the
development of a middle class which was now also able to
purchase not just the essentials, but also to travel to
points of interest and purchase decorative items.....
click here
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Welcome to new ASCAS members:
Tony Absolom - South Africa
Ian Kozlowski - South Africa
Mary McHugh - Ireland
Andrei Neagu - Romania
Members' Window # 91
Alan Yates and Giorgio Busetto present:
Three Newborns for a Silver Mug
I married at the age of 50 and my son Marcus was born
shortly thereafter. To commemorate his birth I bought
him a typical silver Georgian mug.
The mug bears London 1807 hallmark, maker S. Godbehere &
Co.
This mark (SG over EW over IB) was entered in London
Assay Office on 15.3.1800 and identifies the partnership
of Samuel Godbehere with Edward Wigan and James Bult,
active at 86 Cheapside, London (but entering this mark
he signed as Goodbehere)........
click here
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Franck Bonnard writes:
...I have a set of Russian Silver, five vodka beakers and tray.
They are dated 1874 and 1875.
This set belonged to my great great grandfather.
I would like to identify the maker's mark. I did some research
on sites of antiquity, but in vain.
Could you help me?
Franck Bonnard
The marks on the beaker belong to A. Svyechin, Moscow
1862-1875 (assayer mark AC) and M. Dmitriyev, Moscow 1854-1877
(silversmith's mark MD)
The marks on the tray belong to Victor Savinkov Moscow 1855-1888 (assayer VS in Cyrillic = BC in Latin)
(according to Postnikova) or to Viktor Savinskij (1859-1894)
or Veniamin Savinskij (1862-1875)(according to Assay charters and records), and, possibly,
to Nicholai A. Kraslyeninikov, Moscow 1874-1890 (silversmith)
Giorgio Busetto
Wayne Bednersh writes:
... I have these two silver trays that I have been unable to
identify or even understand. I was hoping that you could ask
your readers to help me figure out what I have.
The tray measures about 9" wide. There are no marks of any kind
to indicate either location or metal content.
The trays have been tested and are of high quality silver. I
suspect that these are Victorian era 'calling card' trays, but
am open to other suggestions.
The trays have been hand hammered. The outer rim is fine quality
repousse work and depicts birds and flowers.
The handles appear to be cast and soldered to the tray. The
inside border is engraved but there is no bright cut engraving.
All of the interior workmanship which depicts everyday workers,
dogs and background buildings are engraved.
In the lower center is a reclining man who is being propped up
by another man. An axe has dropped from his hand. A woman is
standing over the man in period dress. Five other men appear to
be standing around or talking. Some of the men are bearded and
some are clean shaven. The three dogs are just sniffing around.
There are four small buildings in the background. I suspect that
the style of dress is the only clue as to origination.
The second tray is almost the same measurements as the other
tray and the handles and outer rim are basically the same
(except for minor hand differences).
The central figure is a horse and rider. There is also a second
horse and rider.
There are six other male figures talking or working. One is
working on a sheaf of wheat. There are three dogs, one goat and
one rabbit (hare?) and four small buildings in the background.
Again there are no marks. I would appreciate any information or
guesses you might have as to the purpose and where these pieces
might have originated.
Wayne Bednersh
Any suggestion will be appreciated.
Giorgio Busetto
I believe you are right. I presume that the tray is
German and not French. The mark with the "swan" look like the
French import mark in use at the end of the 19th century.
Giorgio Busetto
Gerald Gerhart writes:
.... I rescued this beautiful nut dish from the "scrap" pile of
a local jeweller and would appreciate any help possible in
determining its origin and the meaning of the hallmarks.
Thanks, in advance
Gerald Gerhart
Your dish is typical example of Hanau silver (see more at
http://www.ascasonline.org/articolo13.html ). The maker is
(possibly) George Roth, Hanau, but another source attributes the
mark to Wolf & Knell, founded in 1887.
Giorgio Busetto
In this column we present a page obtained from makers'
brochures, books, auction catalogs, advertising or whatever
other printed paper, related to silver, that may be of interest
for ASCAS members.
The images will be published at a "low resolution" level and for
private and personal use only
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This month ASCAS presents an advertisement published
in December 1925 :
GORHAM SILVER
for Christmas.....
The Masters Craftsmen at the three division
factories of the Gorham Company have worked
throughout the year preparing for this Christmas.
Every conceivable gift that can be wrought in
sterling silver has been produced by these
distinguished artists. Your best jeweler has them.
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"A WORD per MONTH"
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LUCKENBOOTH
A Luckenbooth brooch is a Scottish heart-shaped
brooch.
Luckenbooth is traditionally given to a bride by her
groom on her wedding day as a symbol of love (heart) and
loyalty (crown).
They were also attached to either the bedclothes or the
clothing of a newborn child as it was believed to ease
child birth and insure good breast milk.
These brooches often have a crown above one heart, or
two intertwined hearts with Scottish motifs like the St.
Andrew's Cross or the thistle.
The crown is designed after that of Mary Queen of Scots.
She gave a Luckenbooth brooch to her betroth decorated
with her monogram and a thistle. The thistle is the
national emblem of Scotland along with the Latin motto,
Nemo me impune Laecessit ("No one provokes me with
impunity").
Silver was the usual material, although gold heart
brooches were made for wealthy people......
more
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"A SILVERSMITH per MONTH"
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HORACE WOODWARD & CO LTD
The firm was established in
Birmingham c. 1850 by George Cartwright and Joseph
Hirons, trading as Cartwright & Hirons.
In 1853, when Horace Woodward entered in the
partnership, the firm changed to Chartwright, Hirons &
Woodward.
The firm was active as electroplate manufacturers and
silversmiths at 138/139 Great Charles Street,
Birmingham, with London showrooms at 41 Hatton Garden.
In 1859 Joseph Hirons left the partnership and the firm
changed its name to Cartwright & Woodward.
In 1865, after George Cartwright's retirement, the
business was continued by Horace Woodward under the name
Horace Woodward & Co. In 1883 Horace Woodward left the
company and the business was continued by Edgar Finley
and Hugh Taylor, maintaining the same name until 1893
when the firm was converted into a limited liability
company as Horace Woodward & Co Ltd......
more
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"A BOOK ON MY SHELF"
In this column we present books, new
or ancient, dealing with silver in all its aspects (history,
marks, oddities...). This isn't a "book review" but only a fair
presentation of some useful "tools" that anyone may have in the
shelf of his bookcase.
ASCAS members are invited to contribute to this column
(click to enlarge images)
In the "book on my shelf" of this month ASCAS presents:
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HIGHLAND GOLD & SILVERSMITHS
by GP Moss & AD Roe
NMS Publishing Limited, Royal Museum, Edinburgh
- 1999 -
A comprehensive look at the gold and
silversmiths of Highland Scotland, whose lives
and work are revealed for the first time.
Original documentation brought together over
years of careful research provide illuminating
insight into the everyday lives of the skilled
craftsmen, while photographs of notable objects
highlight the techniques and materials they
used.
An invaluable source of reference for
collectors, dealers, museums and libraries.
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Closing our
December 2011 edition of ASCAS Newsletter I hope you have
appreciated its content.
Your comments, suggestions and advice will be of great help.
My thanks to Wayne Bednersh, Maria Bigliani, Franck Bonnard,
Gerald Gerhart, Enzo Vanarelli, Joanne Wiertella, Alan Yates for
their invaluable contributions.
Giorgio Busetto
Secretary
DISCLAIMER AND PRIVACY POLICY
ASCAS is a community of people having a common
interest in antique silver.
It is a non-profit association without commercial links.
Membership is open to whomever has a true interest in
this subject matter.
ASCAS has no real property and no fees are requested nor
accepted from members.
ASCAS keeps in touch with its members only through
periodical newsletters, e-mails and web-site updating
and ignores and is not responsible for any other
activity pursued by its members.
Likewise, ASCAS is not responsible for opinions,
evaluation and images displayed, and in any form
published or supplied for publication, by its members
who, in any case, maintain the property of their works
and assure the respect of national and international
legislation about Intellectual Property.
ASCAS does not have the full addresses of its members
(only town, country and e-mail address are requested for
membership).
ASCAS handles and protects with care its members' e-mail
addresses, will not disclose the addresses to third
parties, will use this information only to reply to
requests received from members and for communications
strictly related to its activity.
These rules are expressly accepted by submitting the
membership request.
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newsletter
# 91 December 2011
