Q&A ON RESEARCHING MARKS ON
ARTS & CRAFTS HEINTZ SILVER - ENGLISH STERLING JEWELRY – STERLING SILVER BOWL FROM FRANCE – MINIATURE SILVER VASE

Your Sugar Bowl & Creamer Jug are marked by BARKER BROS, located in Birmingham & London (UK) - ca 1890s. In addition to Silver Flatware, they also made Tableware.

They were established in Birmingham, UK, in 1801 by Mary Barker (the mother and grandmother of subsequent Barkers) and in 1885 they were known as BARKER BROS.  After 1931, they changed names to BARKER-ELLIS in the UK and also opened a major operation in the US under the name of ELLIS-BARKER (in reverse order to the UK name). Your Set dates ca 1890s. If you use our NAME SEARCH for Barker, you should see other related marks and trade names they adopted over the years.

Unfortunately, both photos that include this mark are out-of-focus and blurred.  However, we believe we recognize it, but we are not certain. I have attached a clearer mark from our database for you to compare with the one on your itemm. This mark is for HEINTZ ART METAL SHOP, primarilly a Manufacturing Jewelers on mostly Electroplated Artwork & Novelties, located in Buffalo, NY (USA) - ca 1915 - 1922.  The number just above the maker's mark is the Model Number. Please let us know if you need any further assistance on this or have additional questions.

Yes, you are absolutely correct in your attributions of the other symbols on your lovely Sterling Silver Locket.  The A&L initials mark is the actual maker's mark as you suggested and corresponds to ADIE & LOVEKIN, Silversmiths from Birmingham (UK), ca 1870s - 1890s. Their marks included an "LD" or "Ltd" notation at the end after 1890 or so.

The marks on your piece are as follows:

• Lion Passant: This is the symbol for Sterling Silver on items sold in the UK - please see our "Recognizing Country Precious Metals Hallmarks" page through our EXTRA HELP section
• Letter h: It is Date Letter code on items assayed in London and in this exact format corresponds to the year 1903. These Date Letters or Ciphers vary in font and outline for each Town or Period - please see our "British Date Letter Codes" page through our EXTRA HELP section
• Letter F: This symbol was used on items imported to England. Basically, all Silver or Gold and other Precious Metals items entering the UK after 1842 had to be re-assayed, and the most common symbol used for the purpose was this letter F mark, primarily on items re-assayed in London. This "F" mark was in use only until 1904; it has since been replaced by an oval mark with numbers corresponding to the decimal value of Fineness (e.g. 925)
• Leopard's Head: Town Assay mark for London, UK

It appears that your lovely Miniature Sterling Silver Vase is not marked with a maker's mark or the country of where it was actually made prior to being exported to the UK.

The right-most symbol actually includes three Ks (a bit double struck or distorted on your piece) and corresponds to KARL KURTZ of Kesselstadt, Hannau (Germany), founded in 1877 and then merged with DINGELDEIN BROS in 1911, but later (in 1929) continued as a separate company again.

The remaining marks are pseudo-marks used frequently by most Hannau Silversmiths (and, incidentally, by 19thC American Silversmiths) in imitation to British or French Hallmarks to appeal to their customers at a time when British & French silver dominated the market and was regarded as of the highest quality or craftsmanship. Although many Hanau Silversmiths varied these pseudomarks significantly on their silver items, Kurtz's marks almost always appear in this same format.

As you also suggested, these marks refer to the usual  UK Hallmarks indicating London + Sterling + a Date Letter.  The initials TH within a diamond correspond to THEODOR HARTMAN, a well documented Importer of mostly German Sterling Silver goods to the UK, ca 1890s - 1910s.

This was manufactured by the OUDIN Foundry, located in Marseilles, France. They are documented as being in operation around the end of 19thC, but exact dates are uncertain (would estimate ca 1870s - 1900). The vast majority of silver items produced by this firm are accurate and high-end reproductions of much older pieces, mostly in the Neoclassical or Louis XV styles. Most are not marked beyond a sticker or similar impressed mark and are usually attributable as "after" a certain Artist (i.e. in the manner of...).

This mark was used by J.A. & S.W. GRANBERY, Manufacturing Jewelers.  They made mostly Gold Jewelry, Cameos and some Sterling Silver Jewelry or Accessories.  They were located in Newark, NJ (USA), ca 1900 - 1931.

To use our huge database of Silver & Jewelry makers' marks and hallmarks, including marks on other Precious metals, Pewter and other collectible Metalware, please see our Silver & Jewelry or Pewter Marks Identification Guides.

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