Messages

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Antique Questions Forum / Reed & Barton Date Mark question

« on: February 22, 2013, 06:12:56 pm »

 I've learned that Reed & Barton put a date mark symbol on their pieces from 1928 to 1957. Would the absence of a date mark symbol mean a piece was made after 1957?

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Photo's are important! (info on loading pictures)

« on: February 15, 2013, 12:23:06 pm »

Thanks for the info, I'm new to the forum. I don't have a digital camera yet and hesitate to post without pic's, although I have a couple of times. I know it can be confusing to read a description and try to picture what someone is talking about, especially detailed descriptions.
I have some other pieces I want to ask aobut but I'll wait until I can supply pictures before posting.

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Antique Questions Forum / Question about Prescut glassware.

« on: February 15, 2013, 12:16:27 pm »

I saw a piece of glassware at a thrift store that had the name "Prescut" in the very center of the dish, the "PRES" was above the word "CUT". The piece closely resembled a Prescut  olive dish I found on the Internet.

My question concerns the tint of the piece. The glass itself was not 'clear' glass, like many ordinary drinking glasses. It had a slight brownish gold tint to it; it was a little more noticeable when I held it up against a white background.
Is this a tint that some glassware was made with? I don't think I've ever seen glassware in this particular tint before. I did learn it isn't true cut glass but a combo.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Do I have a Vintage Item or Reproduction?

« on: February 12, 2013, 01:35:33 pm »

Those little dots pretty much tell that was what someone did !!  It would not have been done by any company !! Posting pics is easy here and should you get a digital camera,, we will be glad to help you post the pics !!
And forgot to say welcome to our group !!

I may take you up on that; I also have a Reed & Barton silverplate creamer and sugar bowl that I have wondered if it's somewhat old or more recently made.  I have looked at digital cameras before and got confused with all the different spec's and how much difference it made in a decent camera and if price made much difference in getting a decent one.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Do I have a Vintage Item or Reproduction?

« on: February 11, 2013, 08:52:11 am »

http://fineestateliquidation.com/research-antiques/vintage-rockford-silverplate-cracker-or-biscuit-barrel/

Is yours similar to this one?

Yes, it is fairly similar. Mine has a little less decoration around the word 'Crackers' and a different rim, mine has a somewhat fluted rim at the top. I would bet mine is probably a step below the one in the picture.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Do I have a Vintage Item or Reproduction?

« on: February 10, 2013, 07:20:58 pm »

Would have been better with a pic of the item and the marking !!  But the most likely scenario is that it was a gift to someone in that year and they used that little home engraver to put the year and M for whoever gave it !!  Those things are not the easiest to use and I would have done the same thing !! Just put the M for the first letter of the name instead of trying to do the entire name !! Could have also stood for Mother and 1964 the year of her passing !!  Not all of us have great memories for dates !!  I don`t !!

Thanks for the reply. Sorry for no pics, I don't have a digital camera, or probably more importantly, the necessary expertise. One of these days I should get one and learn. I know just a description can be somewhat confusing and hard for someone to picture what is being described.

I also had thought about the scenario you mentioned and it seems very likely. The "1964" and the "m" just has the appearance of being done by someone at home with an engraving tool and not by a company. As I had mentioned, there were too many obvious differences; one "m" is taller than the other and one "6" has a bigger loop in it, plus other differences. 
I did learn in researching on the Internet the name "Rockford Silverplate Co" dates from 1882 to 1925,  when the name then changed to Sheets-Rockford.
Thanks again.

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Antique Questions Forum / Question about a George Jones & Sons Biscuit Jar.

« on: February 10, 2013, 01:41:55 pm »

I thought I should make a separate post for this.

I have a Biscuit Jar that has a 'George Jones & Sons' trademark on the bottom. The "& Sons" part is inside the bottom part of the crescent itself, right below the letters "GJ". The word "England" is at the top of the trademark and is curved and the word "Crescent" is at the bottom and is also curved. The word "Ware" just below it, not curved.

I couldn't find anything at the library though I did find some pictures of George Jones & Sons trademarks from the 1890's to the 1920's that appeared mostly identical to the one on the jar. The one difference was the word "Ware" on my biscuit jar.
Would this indicate a reproduction? Are there other indicators? I did learn that in 1925 the words 'Made in" were required in front of the country of origin.
I bought it with the idea it was a reproduction though I'm really not sure.
Thanks for any help.

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Antique Questions Forum / Do I have a Vintage Item or Reproduction?

« on: February 10, 2013, 12:45:27 pm »

I hope someone can help.
I got a quadruple silver Cracker Barrel from a thrift store. It has a Rockford Silverplate Co. trademark on the bottom; the circle trademark with the scales and also three very small "dots". It is identical to the Rockford circle trademark I found on the Internet for American silvermakers; right down to the "tail" on the dot on the left of the scales as the Internet picture also showed. It also has the no. 400 right below the trademark; I assume it's the pattern number.

What's very strange is there is also the no. "1964", with the letter "m" just below it elsewhere on the bottom and also on the bottom side of the lid. Under magnification they appear to have been etched; it looks like a series of little dots forming the numbers and letter. You can also "feel" the numbers when running your fingers over them. They were not made by a machine; there are some obvious differences between the numbers and the "m" under the lid compared to what's on the barrel bottom.  The trademark was not made the same way as the "1964"; it has smoother letters etc.

Anyone know what the "1964" with the letter "m" actually means or just who would have put them on it?? The trademark appears to be original but the "1964" and letter "M" look strange. Does it indicate a reproduction? If it does it seems like an odd way to mark a reproduction.
Thanks (sorry for the length and all the detail).