Posted 11 years ago
elainekay42
(81 items)
Hi
I found this tossed at the back of my Dad's garden shed today.
I cannot work out what exactly it is but it is some form of dinner service thing.
I have found out that the motto stamped on it "Raison Pour Guide" belongs to the Gascoyne family who lived at Childwall Hall, near Liverpool, England. The black tarnish on it is rubbing away but I don't want to use polish on it as if it is plated I don't want to ruin it. It has a flat edge with a raised edge at the back and sides so I wonder if it was for serving fish?
I have founf the HA EA FA EPN stamped on it was the makers mark for the Atkin Brothers of Sheffield with EPN being plated. Just the age to work out now but they were using this mark until 1958.
I have no idea how my dad got it!
Any ideas?
Thanks
I think you may be right! Thank you.
It's gorgeous serving thingy. LoL
I think fish would look fabulous served on this.
Congrats on the wonderful Freeby. pun intended in the spelling ;) as Freeby is a village in London.
Pun appreciated. LOL
I have found out a bit more. The Gascoyne Family also had some connection to Essex and Bedfordshire which is much closer to me. This must have been commissioned by the Family but I have come to a dead end. The creature on the Family Crest is an eel and is a traditional British symbol connected to rivers and waterways. The Crown seems to suggest, from what I can gather, a connection with the Bedfordshire side of the Family although many had migrated to America. x
Sounds as if it has a pretty wonderful background.
I have lots of thingys Elaine but none this good!
Have you checked the hallmarks for date and maker? I can't really read them from here. Lots of sites online to check them.
The makers were the Atkins Brother of Sheffield. I wrote the marks in the description but they do not relate to the year. HA EA FA are the 3 brothers initials then EPN (no s on the end) but no date? I just really, really want to know where it came from. The crest on the handle is stamped into it rather than painted on. x