Material

silver of 916/1000 (mainly silver and zinc alloy) or 925/000 (sterling standard)

Origin

Calcutta

Period

1860 - 1914

Silversmith

H & Co per Hamilton & Company

Model

Crafting method

Mainly hand made

Dimension

Length: 17.5 cm

Weight

52 g

Note

This fruit or berry spoon was made in Calcutta (India) by Hamilton & Company, which was established by Robert Hamilton and others at the beginning of XIX century. Due to the fact that the British regulation on hallmarking was not in force in the British Colonies, immigrated silversmiths were use to mark the silverware with their trade mark and a series of pseudo-hallmarks similar to those used in England and Scotland for sterling silver (see British Colonial hallmaks).

Marks, struck in line on the stem are: H & Co (trade mark of Hamilton & Company); an elephant and a roman capital A. These particular hallmarks were in use between 1860 and 1914 (see Hamilton & Company hallmarks).

The spoon is of very good gauge and mainly hand made. It is not clear if at the date of crafting of this spoon, silversmiths working in India were using the former alloy of 916/1000 purity or the sterling standard like in the U.K..

The spoon has the classic fiddle pattern with floral engraved decoration on the handle and an embossing floral or fruit decoration on the bowl.

The overall condition is very good.