About this lot

Description

Elgin - a 26 piece harlequin set of Victorian Scottish Provincial silver flatware, comprising eleven 'Fiddle' pattern table forks, maker's mark indistinct, London 1850, tandem marked by William Ferguson of Elgin, monogrammed, six 'Fiddle and Shell' pattern dessert forks, four of which maker's mark indistinct, London 1850, tandem marked by William Ferguson of Elgin, the remaining two by Robert Gray & Son, Glasgow 1887, tandem marked by William Ferguson of Elgin, monogrammed, and nine teaspoons, 'Fiddle' pattern by William Ferguson marked for Elgin and Edinburgh1841, monogrammed, 41.9ozt gross (26)
Other Notes: There are several theories as to why some silverware has two maker's marks. One is that makers going out of business sold their stock, and tandem marking took place by the new 'owner' - another is that items made by a reputable maker were tandem marked to give the 'new' marker some credibility as to the quality of his goods. Another theory is that retailers struck their mark on already hallmarked pieces to identify the goods they sold, and of course there could have been collaboration with two makers on the one piece and both wanted recognition…nobody knows for sure.

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