Danish impossible mark

Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland
PHOTOS REQUIRED - marks + item
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Hose_dk
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Posts: 1526
Joined: Sun May 28, 2006 1:39 pm
Location: Denmark

Danish impossible mark

Post by Hose_dk »

The marks are not impossible - but they should not excist. Due to the fact that they do not correspond in time.
Well I cannot post the pictures so I will add pictures tomorrow. Here is the story however.

The marks are silversmith Niels Christian Felumb born Copenhagen approx 1802. He gets his citicenship December 19th 1829. Dead 1882.
Guardein is Frederick Fabritius - guardein between 1787 untill 1823. Guardeinstemplet has been changed a bit. Probbaly to hide the guardein - because he died 6 years before the silversmith got his cityenship.
The 3 towers should have included year - but year have disappered. However the 3 towers are possible to identify. Because they tell the customer that it is silver. These (type of) towers however are not used later than 1823.
Monthmark are of the type zodiakalsigns. Valid 1676 til 1830.
Now the monthmark give an idea of when the item was made.
I soppose that Niels Christian Felumb was new in business so he wanted to save som money. Monthmark represents the paying of tax. By using an existing piece of silver containing 3 marks - and adding his own - No guardein to pay and no tax to be paid.
All he had to do was to change the (impossible) year under the 3 towers.
Blur the guardein mark - but probably no customer knew the guardein mark anyhow.
Monthmark was still valid in 1830 so no reason to change that one.

So if I am right I am the owner of a piece of 1829/1830 silver - where the king never got his taxes and I got a good story.
This "cheating" by re-use old marks is described in danish silver litterature. And now i have a piece.

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Hose_dk
contributor
Posts: 1526
Joined: Sun May 28, 2006 1:39 pm
Location: Denmark

Post by Hose_dk »

Guardein
Image

3 towers maker and month mark will be posted tomorrow - something is wrong.
The I will also post a better picture of the cup.
dognose
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Posts: 59347
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2005 12:53 pm
Location: England

Post by dognose »

Hi,
The transposing of hallmarks was also known in Great Britain, a smaller simply made piece would be sent to Goldsmiths Hall for assaying and upon its return the hallmark would be cut out and carefully soldered into a much larger piece thus saving a large amount of duty. It is still done today by removing the hallmarks from older damaged items and applying them into newer pieces to fool the less knowledgable,
Regards Trev.
Hose_dk
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Posts: 1526
Joined: Sun May 28, 2006 1:39 pm
Location: Denmark

Re: Danish impossible mark

Post by Hose_dk »

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