Good morning everyone. First post here so please be gentle with me.
I’ve got a couple of sterling silver quaiches which I’ve had for some time. From memory I picked them as part of a suitcase full of junk at an estate auction many years ago. They are identical in all respects to the naked eye.
The first is easily identified with Mappin & Webb hallmarks and from what I can work out, is circa mid 60’s.The second however is marked only with an “S” inside a square and 925 next to that in a rectangle. This one is inscribed with “SINGAPORE TURF CLUB” on one side. I’m hoping someone can help me out to identify the manufacturer.
I have seen similar versions of this cup made by William Suckling, but I don’t believe he ever used a singular “S” to identify his work. Perhaps this one has been made in Singapore?
Please refer to attached photos. Any assistance would be much appreciated.
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Please don’t reduce the size of the photos before posting them. When you do, we can’t zoom in on them to see details. Give us the full-size photos from the camera/phone. And give us closeups of the marks. Most phones these days do a surprisingly good job of macro photography - I sometimes use my phone instead of a magnifying glass!
The Mappin & Webb hallmark could be sterling, or just silverplate. Without seeing it, it’s impossible to guess. Please post photos of the hallmark itself. If it’s sterling, it will be possible to date it precisely, not just within a decade or so.
Thanks for the advice Jeff.
see below a few higher definition shots of the item I’m questioning. These photos show the only markings on the item.
Cheers
I’d still like to see the hallmarks on the Mappin & Webb piece. On the one hand, you seem to be confident that it’s sterling, but on the other hand, you’re just guessing about the date. If it’s sterling, and has proper hallmarks, there will be no need to guess about the date.
The Singapore piece is going to remain a mystery. The “S” almost certainly stands for “sterling,” not for a maker’s name. But is it sterling? Who knows? It’s coming from an area of the world with much looser regulations about hallmarking. Without having it assayed, you can’t be certain. And you’ll never be able to identify the maker, or the date of manufacture - there’s simply no information to go on.
Hi Jeff. I have the Mappin & Webb quaich currently for sale on ebay. If you search under “Vintage Mappin & Webb Sterling Silver Octagonal Horse Head Handled Quaich” or item No.145994765619, you will find it.
It’s worth noting these quaiches, were not an uncommon item handed out by the Singapore Turf Club to members and as trophies. From what I’ve read, the quaiches were sourced from a number of manufacturers in the UK. Given that the UK gave up Singapore in the early sixties, it’s possible the turf club either sourced local silverware, or had a cupboard full of British made items which they used until the stock ran out.
The Mappin & Webb quaich is hallmarked for 1968, though I can just barely make out the marks from those out-of-focus photos. (Personally, I just won’t touch online British silver without a clear, close-up picture of the hallmarks - I shouldn’t have to take the seller’s word for it.)
Whatever else the Singapore quaich is, it isn’t British silver. British silver, whether made for domestic sale or for export, must be properly hallmarked. Therefore, that cup came from much closer to home - southeast Asia (if it were Chinese, it would have more extensive markings).
Thanks Jeff. Appreciate the info.
Unfortunately Ebay is one of those sites who limit the pixel count in their photos. However, I have noted in the sale info that if potential buyers need any further info or photos to simply contact me and I will do my best to assist.
I sometimes sell things on eBay, so I understand their photos. What you need isn’t a huge image of the entire quaich, but a tight, macro-lens close-up of the hallmarks. Most modern phones can do this very well. Other silver sellers don’t seem to have a problem doing this.
What I do on my phone is go into camera mode, just Zoom in away from Marks to be photographed, then put camera over marks and either go a little closer or away from subject. Great results. Hope this helps 
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Thanks Jools. I’ll give it a go. Maybe I need a newer phone. 
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I used a camera with double macro for years, then had to upload and resize photos to fit forums specifications, then upload to forums I was sharing with, pains 
. Then along came a decent phone camera, simples
I’ve been amazed at how well my iPhone 14 Pro handles extreme closeups. No need for any zooming trickery - just hold the phone an inch away from the hallmark, and it drops into macro mode. None of my Nikons of yore could manage that.
ETA: This is a quick grab from a pint tankard, straight out of the phone - no cropping, no post-processing.
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Lovely pic, I’ve got an Oppo phone so have to zoom manually, t’was only £120 but does job