In trying to search this hallmark, everthing I find on J C Moore is under the subject of silver, but if you can shed some light on this copper coffee service I would appreciate your sharing it. TIA
Hi there Steve and thanks for joining us. We forgive you. I have a couple of ideas - some might say guesses - about your set. There was a John C. Moore of New York, a silversmith in the 19th century who at the end of his career teamed up with Tiffany. It is possible that this set was cast from coppe and intended to be silver plated but was never plated. Most American silver plated stuff is over a base of copper, and it would be reasonable that an employee took an un-plated set home as a novelty. Another possibility is it was originally poorly silver plated and someone along the line polished the silver off. My gut is, however, that it was made as a copper set from the start since the mark appears hand engraved. Who and where remains a mystery.
Regards,
Uncle Vic
There are other pieces I see on the internet that are copper with the same mark. Each of the pieces I have are identically marked. But nobody knows anything about the possible dates and what the number refers to.