Just picked up this little sauce boat. I think the marks (which are quite rubbed) include a town mark for Chester, making the X for 1773? Does this look right? Any ideas on the maker, ?W?
The hallmark looks right to me for Chester 1773 with the town mark rotated 90 degrees clockwise in comparison to the date letter and the lion passant. I have looked through Ridgway & Priestley's Chester marks book without finding a good match - the best I can come up with is IW for Joseph Walley of Liverpool. It was certainly in use during the right period.