It seems reasonable to suggest the influence of John R. Wendt; many of his pieces are marked with the Ball Black & Company hallmark, but few pieces bear his actual name as a hallmark, but it seems reasonable that you could attribute this piece to John R. Wendt, check out his flatware patterns and you will see a few which are very similar to this piece, possibly this could be a hitherto unknown silversmith who was working in the general aesthetic-period style, that does remain a possibility pending further research :::