Typically Cape konfyt (preserve) fork, in the Fiddle pattern. The hallmarks are also typically Cape (WC or WG?) in a shaped punch, between 2 crude stars. The makers mark is a little indistinct, either a worn or mistruck punch, or could even be overstruck. Given this is an unrecorded maker not listed in any of the reference books (as far as we can determine), it could have another Colonial origin.
Lovely set of Kings pattern (with diamond point) Cape tableforks, of very good quality and gauge - the forks are 100 grams each, very heavy to hold. Cape flatware in Kings pattern is fairly rare, the most prevalent patterns being Fiddle and Old English. These forks all have the same English pseudo hallmarks (leopards head, date letter A, duty mark and lion, Welz mark 135), struck by the same punch in the same workshop. However, 4 have the maker mark LT (Twentyman), and two have the makers mark FW (Waldek). This is not unusual, as Waldek worked for Twentyman, and probably took over the business when Twentyman departed for India, circa 1835.
Fiddle pattern Cape teaspoon, with clear hallmarks (Welz no 27) including initials, 2 ladder device in ball, 2 shell device.
Cape Silver teaspoon in the Old English pattern, with very clear hallmarks, IC and shell. Combrink worked from Dorp Street.
A lovely early Cape tablespoon in the Hanoverian pattern, with turn-up end. This spoon only has the makers hallmark, which is very worn but still faintly visible. Lotter generally only struck his makers mark, as is the case on this spoon. Lotter, who was part of a large family of silversmiths working in the Cape, was an extremely competent silversmith who made the Cape Town Lutheran Church chalice to match one made in Amsterdam in 1765.
Plain, good hallmarks, English Pseudo and makers name. Daniel arrived in the Cape in 1820 (one of the settlers) as a child from Dublin, his Father (who had the same name) was also a silversmith.
Fiddle pattern Cape silver tablefork with Pseudo English hallmarks, which are clear, and makers mark WM. This hallmark punch was used by 5 different Cape silversmiths, including Twentyman, Combrink, Townsend and Beck, leading Welz (Cape Silver, pg 95) to speculate that all the silver with this mark came from the same workshop.
Rare Cape Silver Christening mug, by the highly regarded Cape Silversmith John Townsend. The body is plain and cylindrical, the handle has a lovely leaf cap, and the mug is of good gauge. David Heller, author of "Cape Silver", described Townsend as the "most versatile" of all the English silversmiths who worked at the Cape. The hallmarks are clear, being makers mark and pseudo English hallmarks which are slightly worn (duty mark, date letter a, leopards head and date letter J) -(see Welz, Cape Silver, pg 122).
Pair of Cape Silver Konfyt (preserve) forks, in the Fiddle pattern, with very clear hallmarks and initials JWH. Pairs of konfyt forks are fairly rare, most konfyt forks found are singles. The hallmarks on both forks are very clear, and consist of makers mark, pseudo English dutymark and castle town mark. Johannes Lotter was a member of the Lotter family of silversmiths, he was the son of Willem Godfried Lotter and the brother of Carel David Lotter. He also made the snuffbox featured on our website (item S 185).
An extremely rare Cape konfyt (preserve) fork with tubular handle, with typically Cape prick engraving of foliage at the top of the handle. No hallmarks are present. The handle is similar to the Cannon handle pattern of early English flatware. Similar forks are illustrated in Heller's History of Cape Silver (Vol 2, pg 82) and Welz's Cape Silver (pg 68), these are by Johannes Combrink.
Set of 6 Cape Dessert Fiddle pattern spoons, that match the set of 12 Tableforks (item S 1193). All 6 spoons have very clear English Pseudo hallmarks and makers mark, and the same pair of worn double initials. The spoons are of of good weight, and are robust enough to be used.
Plain Cape Fiddle pattern Tablespoon, with very clear English Pseudo hallmarks. No makers mark is present, but the letter M is impressed twice, this has only been recorded on silver by Beck. Beck worked from Shortmarket Street and Greenmarket Square.
Pair of Cape Fiddle pattern Tableforks, by the highly regarded silversmith John Townsend. The length of the tines is good, and the forks have very clear Pseudo English hallmarks and makers mark. The initials CJH are engraved on the back of the forks. Heller described Townsend as the most versatile of all the English silversmiths at the Cape, capable of excellent craftmanship.
Cape Silver tablefork (Fiddle pattern) with interesting horse crest, initials HR and very clear hallmarks. The hallmarks include Pseudo English marks and the makers mark.
Rare matching set of Cape Tableforks, in the Fiddle pattern, of good weight, and robust enough to be used. All 12 forks have very clear Pseudo English hallmarks and makers mark. The forks all have 2 sets of initials, but these are worn. These forks match the 6 Dessert spoons (item S1194), having the same maker and initials. Waldek, who produced silver from 1830 - 1877, took over Lawrence Twentyman's shop on Heerengracht street when Twentyman left the Cape.
Plain Cape saltspoon in the Fiddle pattern with gilded bowl, and very clear pseudo English hallmarks and makers mark.
Plain Cape silver tablefork in the Old English pattern, with original owners initials lightly scratched on back (MF). Hallmark very clear, makers mark struck twice, either side of a flower (or bunch of grapes). Jan Lotter was an excellent silversmith who made most of the cape orangespoons (lemoenlepels) found today. He traded from Keerom St.
Cape Fiddle pattern saltspoon complete with makers mark and pseudo english hallmarks (clearly visible), gilded bowl and engraved monogram TTA. The spoon is slightly longer than others we have seen. Townsend was a leading Cape silversmith, who had a shop on Heerengracht in Cape Town, and is regarded as one of the finest and most versatile of Cape silversmiths by Heller.
A very fine Cape tablespoon by a maker who has a reputation of excellent quality, clearly evident in this spoon. Whilst this spoon was made c1850, it is a copy of an earlier 18th century style (Hanoverian with turn up, and the crest on the back of the spoon). The crest is beautiful, a hand holding an elaborate cross and the motto "TORTIS IN ARDUIS", ("twisted and difficult"?). The hallmarks are very clear, showing makers initials and pseudo English hallmarks. Waldek took over the business of Lawrence Twentyman when he moved to India.
Rare set of 6 Cape fiddle pattern dessert forks, with very clear English pseudo hallmarks and makers mark on all 6 forks. They have an interesting crest, a roaring half rampant lion with his front paws on a strange shaped object (we guess a church with a spire?).