Antique Brass Forks

[eschlender]

I have a set of 6 brass forks that have been passed down for generations in my family, from oldest daughter to oldest daughter. My grandmother told me they have been in our family for at least 6 generations when she got them. After doing alot of research, I have been able to trace them back to Hannah Brockway Harvey, born 1779 in Ohio. Which would be 6 generations before my grandmother. Each fork has 5 symbols on the back, that I have not been able to find anywhere. I am hoping someone will be able to identify them and tell me what they mean. Thank you!

[KC]

Go to this page and see if you can find this resource book, Early American Brass Makers, anywhere (it has a locator for libraries that note they have this book).

http://www.worldcat.org/title/early-american-brass-makers/oclc/4832168

Unfortunately brass hallmarks aren't documented as well as silver, porcelain and pottery.

Hopefully someone else will chime in!

[cogar]

After 6 generations of use maybe all the silver has been polished off.

[ghopper1924]

The brass looks pretty even for that.

I don't know about the marks, but it's really great that you've passed these forks down like this!! Every family should have heirlooms like that.

[eschlender]

Thanks for the help! I do know my grandmother said her family was originally Pennsylvania Dutch, or Pennsylvania German. And someone thought maybe the marks on the back were some kind of religious symbols. I tried researching that, and some of the symbols are religious in nature, but I couldn't find all of them.