Expert: Kenton Scott - 8/8/2010

Question
Found and cleaned up a silver (plated possibly) 3 valve trump with engraving "Geo Baring & Son Makers London Eng" It has multiple bands of engraving. Do you have any information about this instrument? Possible value? It was my great grnadfather's who came over from Czechoslovakia in the early 1900's. Thanks

Answer
Baring made instruments that were then imported into the US and sold by HN White in the 1880s. White sold them under the names of Union, Imperial, Silver Star, and Superior Silver Star. And, were marked with HN White being the sole agent.

I have not been able to find any other information on the Baring company. However, McMillen was a dealer established in 1891. He used the business name Henry E. McMillen Co, Inc, starting in 1911 and changed the company name to Henry E. McMillen & Son in 1914, and was in business until about 1930.

Since they both claim to be sole agents, a couple of possibilities come to mind. 1) White was first the sole agent and then it passed to McMillen or 2) White was sole agent for instuments under the above listed trade names and McMillen was sole agent for the Baring name.