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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: Falcon55 on January 11, 2015, 07:53:21 AM

Title: Austrian christening bowl pewter dated 4.7.1776
Post by: Falcon55 on January 11, 2015, 07:53:21 AM
Found this at a local flea market. A christening bowl for Carolina Johnna Hager as a present from her Godfathers (Q.D. Wenzel, H.L. Meier, O.J. Bugman) on the day of her christening the 4th July 1776. The last word is Ros.bag. Any ideas what that might stand for?

There is a stamp on the underside with an anchor, the letters E,B and 08 on the right side. Unfortunately the stamp is not readable on the left side so I canīt say what year 1?08 it stands for.

The Diameter is 32 cm and it is 5 cm high.

Any commets would be welcome!

Cheers, Jack
Title: Re: Austrian christening bowl pewter dated 4.7.1776
Post by: Falcon55 on January 11, 2015, 07:54:56 AM
Two more Pictures. I can make more if helpful.

Jack
Title: Re: Austrian christening bowl pewter dated 4.7.1776
Post by: Pelady on January 11, 2015, 10:42:27 AM
Hi Falcon,

I can not tell from the pictures is it written in English or Austrian?  Sometimes an easier way to show a Mark or writing and be to use paper and a pencil creating a rubbing, then take a picture of the rubbing.

If it is in English I bet it would command a high price in the USA.  July 4, 1776 is the birth of our Nation. 

PeLady
Title: Re: Austrian christening bowl pewter dated 4.7.1776
Post by: wilhenri on January 11, 2015, 01:19:17 PM
I think pewter of this age would be quite soft and easily bent and this seems in rather good condition for such an old piece. Older pewter had a higher lead content and later pewter a higher content of tin and bismuth making it a bit more robust. I have pewter chargers from the 1600s and they are very bendy if you see what I mean. The Victorians were very apt to make things in the style of previous generations and again in the 1920 there was a big surge of faking old pewter. Also worth bearing in mind pewter of this supposed age is most likely to suffer from what is called in the UK as Tin Pest where areas of the item turn powdery due to exposure to the elements.. lots of stuff out there on pewter but it would be really nice if this was an old piece
Title: Re: Austrian christening bowl pewter dated 4.7.1776
Post by: KC on January 12, 2015, 02:58:09 PM
I have searched and searched.  No luck on figuring out the touch marks/hallmark.
Title: Re: Austrian christening bowl pewter dated 4.7.1776
Post by: mart on January 12, 2015, 03:20:54 PM
I didn`t find anything either when looking under pewter !!  Maybe Brittania metal or something besides pewter !!
Title: Re: Austrian christening bowl pewter dated 4.7.1776
Post by: KC on January 12, 2015, 03:33:09 PM
I have looked through all kinds of metal marks.
Title: Re: Austrian christening bowl pewter dated 4.7.1776
Post by: Falcon55 on January 12, 2015, 04:05:29 PM
Thanks everyone!

I made another Picture without Flash showing the porosities on the surface. It has quite many dents and bumps so it doesnīt look too modern and the writing makes an old-fashioned look. I donīt know for sure if it is pewter, I just presume it to be. I also failed to find such an anchor stamp.

Cheers, Jack
Title: Re: Austrian christening bowl pewter dated 4.7.1776
Post by: mart on January 12, 2015, 04:28:56 PM
What does it feel like and what does it weigh ??  Heavy or light ??
Title: Re: Austrian christening bowl pewter dated 4.7.1776
Post by: bottlehunter212 on January 13, 2015, 01:10:01 PM
I spent a few hours at the library looking at books of old metal marks from about 1700-1890 and couldn't fined anything
Title: Re: Austrian christening bowl pewter dated 4.7.1776
Post by: awhitetriangle on January 15, 2015, 07:15:46 AM
hi, i've sold a lot of early pewter over the years, i'm more up on english marks though and the touchmarks on your item aren't familiar to me sadly. however when i get stuck on foreign pieces there is one person i always go to, he's a leading expert in the field and is always very prompt and helpful. his name is philippe his email is phb@boucaud-antiques.com i'm sure he will be able to identify it for you... cheers, a.
Title: Re: Austrian christening bowl pewter dated 4.7.1776
Post by: mart on January 15, 2015, 01:06:52 PM
Let us know when you find out !!  Be sure to ask about the 1776 date,, I am curious about that !!
Title: Re: Austrian christening bowl pewter dated 4.7.1776
Post by: KC on January 15, 2015, 02:16:28 PM
I am curious about that as well Mart, because spider web-type designs were very popular during the late 1800's!  And that is what the design closely resembles to me.