Thread: Well, fancy that

Hey gents. Got this awesome fixer up brush handle from a certain Texan on these here interwebs..

And a close up of the stamps.

I look forward to boring this out carefully to see what size shavemac I can fit inside.

Sterling silver, but would be curious what all those stamps actually mean.

Cheers, and thanks a sterling pound to Mr Tom for sending it my way.

Try this link - every hallmark you can think of.

Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks


The lion means sterling - .925, the anchor means Birmingham.

Were I to guess they mean as follows;
Goes well with After Shave, sinks like an anchor if dropped in the ocean, made from genuine Griffon tail hair, and made for Labatts

Course I could be wrong on a couple of the stamps...


Edit: Thanks Cincinnatus, I will look them up.

"AS" is the maker and the cursive L is the date code - but I don't see that listed under Birmingham.

The cursive L is 1985. No idea who AS is - sorry.

It is for Argyle Silver. A very old name which was apparently kept alive by a more contemporary silversmith in London.
As he passed, no one was there to keep up the work and, as I understand, all the remains were auctioned-off.

Super cool story.
Argyle Silver, circa 1985.
Birmingham England..
Might need to find a Simpson knot for it now...

Well, it was assayed in Birmingham. The maker was in London!

I think it deserves a fine, larger knot. The silver was formed over wood and the maker did not make it deep enough to properly set a knot, IMO. Needs boring out a bit deeper.
Just don't chuck that handle up in a lathe, now!

Sweet handle! Love the shape of it too. Looks like she has a few dings..... Little Bondo should do the trick, eh Mike, eh Tom?

Or is that just a reflection?

Yeah, a few dings, to be certain. Being a wood core with silver laid-over, I figure a good silversmith may be able to fix?
I have seen people shrink out dents with liquid refrigerant and liquid nitrogen......
Anyhoo, we refer to that as 'patina'!