date mark and origin

[neoguy]

Hello everyone, this is my first post here.
I love History and the history of objects in general.
I've been reading around about Silver Hallmarks and I find this pleasing.
I hope my first post will fit here and respect your rules.
thanks
H



So I Had this pocket flask forever and now I just want to know a bit more about it
After reading this website and some other about hallmarks, I came to the conclusion that it's sterling silver from London year 1988
because of the walking lion / The leopard head / the O on the bottom of the object (picture)
Is it correct ?
Also I don't understand the number "5", wrote two times on the top of the object (picture)
Thanks again for your knowledge !

[neoguy]

[silvermakersmarks]

Hi and welcome to the forum. You have identified the marks correctly - and T&Co is Tiffany's registered sponsor's mark. I suspect that the flask may have been intended for sale in the USA as the word "sterling" is not often seen on British silver. The number 5 is a mystery to me too; it may relate to the flask size but is certainly of significance to the manufacturer only.

Phil

[dognose]

Hi,

Welcome to the Forum.

The stuck marks '5' are an indictor to the silversmith for matching the the two separate pieces. Such items are made in batches by a team of silversmiths, each performing separate tasks, and each piece will need final adjustment so that pairing will marry up perfectly after the final polishing, buffing etc. has occurred. Such marking is nearly always applied to items such as cigarette-cases etc.

Trev.

[neoguy]

Hi, thanks to you both !
Trev you right about the numbers it totally make sense for the silversmiths.
Also Phil about the "Sterling" its weird and I suspect that the object is a fake Tiffany's as the normal hallmarks used by this brand
usually say "925" or number for the silver quality. Seems like the object was existing and someone add "tiffany's" etc
But anyway its a birth gift I received with my initials engraved and will never sell it so it was interesting
thanks again
H

[Traintime]

Legit markings, see here: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=43546&p=124455&hili ... 8b#p124455

.925 minimum fineness already covered by authentic formal British Hallmark.
Tiffany & Company retailer mark for their store. (Can serve as a final guarantor of quality of outsourcing, but mainly based on their reputation rather than as a legal device.)
England export mark, with Sterling in same letters (on yours) so original source.

[Traintime]

A much older concern over fake Sterling from a British source: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=36151&p=155808&hil ... bf#p155808

Items marked Sterling and sold in New York have been (at least in the past) required to meet a .925 standard under laws of that state. There is an entry on this site relating to 1922.

IIRC, the United States regulations are also posted on this site in regards to items marked Sterling, although I don't recall in which entry.