Posted 11 years ago
OlofZ
(8 items)
Hi, I was given this by my grandma. Hexagonal glass container with silver lid, 3" wide. I keep cuff-links in it which seems appropriate, maybe it was used for accessories, etc. Curious about the Maker's Mark (SR under a crown?) and country of origin. The 800 stamp points towards Europe, I guess, but not from Sweden were I come from since then there should have been a digit and letter for the year of manufacturing. Maybe England? There is a small stamp though unidentifyable to the left of the 800 stamp as well; I can see traces from the hammer on the inside. Anyone have a clue?
I found the silversmith, Simon Rosenau, Hanau, Germany. c:a 1890-1900. He was deported to Auschwitz 1943.
May I ask where you found the silversmith information?
From what I have found, If the hammer you refer to is actually a hatchet, it would date your piece to 1931
Oh, thanks! Is that so? Could very well be a hatchet. I just meant that I could see on the inside that it was indeed a stamp being hammered into the lid.
1931 is intriguing, my grandmother turned 21 (legal age in those days) early 1932 and she also got engaged that year. So it would indeed make sense that this was a gift to her shortly after 1931! I googled "SR under a crown" which led me to the name of the silversmith via an auction site. The silversmith can be found at http://www.925-1000.com/
which I'm used to consult but I needed to know what to look for so without the google hit it wouldn't have helped me. Thanks for the info! Best wishes. O.
Still some loose ends, from what I can read here under Simon Rosenau http://www.925-1000.com/Fgerman_hanau_marks_01.html
His son Hermann Simon took over in 1890 and retired 1932. (He is the one being deported to Auschwitz). Hermann Simon continued to stamp with his father's hallmark, hence refered to as "Hanau pseudo-mark" at the internet site.
The thing is that after 1886 it was compulsory to stamp german silver with a crescent and a crown. That third stamp does look like a hatchet but hardly like a crescent and a crown. But then again if he stamped silver, produced by someone else, with his father's stamp maybe he wasn't too particular. On the other hand he was German ;)
Thank you, I was at that website earlier (and saved the link). I went to so many different website explaining the markings on sterling. I tried to remember to save the links. I tried zooming in on your piece, but I just cannot make out the image.
I'll go with the Gradma 21-and-engaged-story anway! Thanks for helping out.
I Like that story as well ;) and you are most welcome
I believe this was used to sit on one's vanity. To hold their face powder. Or some would hold bobby pins for their hair. This is a very beautiful piece! Love the detail!