Please help identify silver hallmark, maker's mark on lidded bowl

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Gerox
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Posts: 163
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:35 pm

Please help identify silver hallmark, maker's mark on lidded bowl

Post by Gerox »

Hello All,
There is a nice lidded bowl, 900 silver.
Image
I can't identify the silver hallmark, maker's mark.
Image
Can anybody help me with the determination of the manufacturer and the period of manufacture?
For any help I would be very grateful. Thank you!

Gerox
legrandmogol
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Posts: 550
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2010 3:22 pm

Re: Please help identify silver hallmark, maker's mark on lidded bowl

Post by legrandmogol »

Hi lovely piece. I believe your piece comes from Cambodia or southeast Asia. the T.900 mark, According to ADRIEN VON FERSCHT in his "CHINESE EXPORT SILVER 1785-1940" is...

"The ’T.90’ is a mark based on the old Tola system of weight initiated by the British East India Company in its
capacity as official managing and facilitating agent of the British government in India. 1 Tola = 11.4gm approx.
The Tola formed the base for units of mass under the British Indian system and was also the standard measure
of gold and silver bullion. Although the Tola has been officially replaced by metric units since 1956, it is still in
current use and is a popular denomination for gold and silver bullion bars in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan
and Singapore as well as Zanzibar and Aden. It was also used in Cambodia [Khmer silver] from circa 1915.
It is still used in the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states.
T.90 inevitably was used by Chinese silversmiths working in Singapore or Cambodia" p.675

Considering your's is a full 900 and has litte evidence of wear, it was probably made in the last 25 years.
Gerox
contributor
Posts: 163
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:35 pm

Re: Please help identify silver hallmark, maker's mark on lidded bowl

Post by Gerox »

Good evening legrandmogol,
Thank you for your profound work. They are very helpful for me and I appreciate them very much.
Thanks also for the comments on the Tola system and for the literature reference, excelent!
The object is already somewhat older, how old exactly I can´t determine, it also looked bad, but was worked out by the jeweler in my opinion properly.
Thank you again.
Best regards
Gerox
legrandmogol wrote:Hi lovely piece. I believe your piece comes from Cambodia or southeast Asia. the T.900 mark, According to ADRIEN VON FERSCHT in his "CHINESE EXPORT SILVER 1785-1940" is...

"The ’T.90’ is a mark based on the old Tola system of weight initiated by the British East India Company in its
capacity as official managing and facilitating agent of the British government in India. 1 Tola = 11.4gm approx.
The Tola formed the base for units of mass under the British Indian system and was also the standard measure
of gold and silver bullion. Although the Tola has been officially replaced by metric units since 1956, it is still in
current use and is a popular denomination for gold and silver bullion bars in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan
and Singapore as well as Zanzibar and Aden. It was also used in Cambodia [Khmer silver] from circa 1915.
It is still used in the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states.
T.90 inevitably was used by Chinese silversmiths working in Singapore or Cambodia" p.675

Considering your's is a full 900 and has litte evidence of wear, it was probably made in the last 25 years.
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