ID of odd mark on serling teaspoon please

[millielady]

Hello,

I hope its OK to ask about another spoon. I was given a box with several and this teaspoon has a strange mark on the back that i cannot make out. It looks like I M Micksch, Is this familiar to anyone?

Also, while it is not marked sterling it definitely is sterling. When did they start putting sterling marks on silver in the USA? Could this be very very old?
X
X

[millielady]

I am sorry, but I cannot figure out how to edit a post, and the first photo I posted of the Meriden is incorrect and should not be showing up. How can i delete that photo? Thank you, I am new and still learning how this forum works. How can I edit a post once it is live?

[dragonflywink]

Hi - your pictures don't seem to match, the mark picture is Meriden Britannia silverplate, the spoon looks like it may well be American coin silver...

Please add an image of the marks that correspond to the spoon image.

~Cheryl

[millielady]

Hi,

I did add the correct images. I tried to delete that first incorrect image but do not how to do so. See the mark in the post above which is the correct one.

[millielady]

I was able to make the mark out better. It appears to be this fellow. John Matthew Micksch was born in Christiansbrunn in 1798 and worked as a silversmith in Bethlehem where he died in 1882.

The other 3 teaspoons that match this in shape and weight, are marked "sterling" with the name of Rauch who I learned here from one of your members was also a Bethlehem jeweler and silversmith.

My guess is that this is the older original spoon, and the other 3 were made later to expand or match the set. Same initial "B" for the last names on the monograms, with different letters added on the older spoon.

This is a very helpful forum, thanks!