Expert: Michelle Lieberman - 6/23/2009

Question
QUESTION: I HAVE TWO VERY OLD SILVER SPOONS THE REST OF THE SILVER I HAVE HAS BEEN FROM 1865-1904 AND THEY HAVE HAD HALLMARKS. BUT THESE TWO SPOONS HAVE A HALLMARK BUT DO NOT SAY STERLING. FIRST SPOON VERY LIGHT TEA SPOON ON BACK HALLMARK MGORHAM I FOUND SOME INFORMATION ON MILES GORHAM DATE WAS VERY OLD. NEXT SAME SMALL LIGHT SPOON HALLMARK ON BACK FIRST LETTER WORN OFF THEN THE WORD BENJAMIN. A KNIGHT A LEFT FACING LION AND THE LETTER C THEY BOTH HAVE SMALL CRACKS IN THE SPOON PART AND IT LOOKS LIKE SILVER ALL THE WAY THROUGH. I FEEL THAT THESE SPOONS ARE VERY OLD. I APPRECIATE FINDING YOUR SITE TO HELP ME. THANK YOU

ANSWER: Hello Debra.

The spoon with the M. Gorham mark would indeed have been made by Miles Gorham.  He worked as a silversmith from 1790 to 1840.  It is coin silver, a slightly lesser grade than sterling.  Gorham's earliest mark was his initials MG, so your spoon would date from the 2nd half of his career.

The Benjamin spoon sounds like coin silver as well.  The knight/lion/C marks are pseudo hallmarks.  These marks probably denote the maker (not Mr. Benjamin).  Without seeing the mark, it's hard to determine, but it sounds like it's the mark of an as yet undetermined New York maker.  Most pieces with this mark are from the middle of the 19th century.  Benjamin, would would have retailed the spoon not made it, is probably Everard Benjamin who worked in New Haven, CT, 1829-1874.

Regards,
Michelle

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THE ANSWER YOU HAVE HELPED ME SO MUCH. I WILL BE SELLING THESE ON EBAY I GUESS I CAN LIST THEM UNDER COIN SILVER I WILL TRY TO FIND SOME VALUE TO GO BY. I HAVE ATTACHED AN IMAGE OF THE ONE SPOON THE FIRST MAY OR MAY NOT BE A KNIGHT HEAD IT IS SO HARD SOMETIMES TO MAKE OUT ALL OF THE HALLMARKS. I ALSO HAVE ONE OTHER SERVING SPOON I WILL SEND AN IMAGE. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. DEBBIE

Answer
Yes, it's a bust, and definitely sold by Everard Benjamin (who actually was a silversmith himself, but as was common during this period, got more and more into selling silver made by others instead of making goods himself).

Good luck with your sale.

- Michelle