Q&A ON RESEARCHING MARKS ON
MODERNIST JEWELRY – GOLD BROOCH – ROGERS SILVER FLATWARE - SILVERPLATE COFFEE SET - DANISH SILVER SPOON

This jewelry mark is included in our ANIMALS - Lions only" Shape Category and listed as KULTAKESKUS OY, Finland. This company is just about the largest such firm in Finland, reputed to control and handle more than 60% of all Precious Metals production in that country.

Many notable Artists & Designers worked for or with the company, for example Tapio Wirkkala and others.  This mark of the sitting lion was used since 1926 and throughout the rest of the 20thC, but based on the style of your lovely ring, we believe it dates from around the 1940s to 1960s period and, as you also suggested, it is generally referred to as Modernist Jewelry.

Your silver tray is marked with a logo used by FRIEDMAN SILVER Co., Inc. In this case and for faster viewing, and since you now know the maker, please use our NAME SEARCH for Friedman Silver to see this and other marks or tradenames they used.

Yes, you will find this mark under our "K" and "T" Shape Categories (it looks like an upside-down T and also usually comes with a 14K notation.  Your lovely Gold Brooch was made by KREMENTZ & Co.. Although this particular Krementz mark was used for quite a long period (from 1896 to 1997), we believe that based on the decorative style of your Brooch or Pin, it was probably made around 1920s - 1930s.

Yes, these were all produced by the same company, which changed names and owners several times over the years. In particular:

• William Rogers ca 1836 - 1841
• William Rogers & Co. ca 1841 - 1854
• William Rogers ca 1855
• William Rogers & Son ca 1856 - 1861 (1st partnership)
• William Rogers, Jr. ca 1862
• E.R. Fifefield & Co. ca 1863 - 1865, and
• William Rogers & Son ca 1865 - 1873 (2nd partnership)

This last partnership of father and son (William Rogers Jr.) soon became the WILLIAM ROGERS MFG Co. (ca 1865) and officially incorporated in 1872. It later became one of the original founding companies that formed the INTERNATIONAL SILVER Co. in 1898 (now called SYRATECH since the 1980s).

There were also other "Rogers" around the same time, all family relations (brothers, sons, nephews etc), who branched out on their own - see out NAME SEARCH for Rogers for all related examples.

The marks on your lovely Silver Flatware & Cutlery Set were first registered and used during the 1870s - 1898 period, but they were also in use during the early years of International Silver Co. ca 1900 - 1910s. In fact, the newer International Silver Co.'s marks were not in official use on Flatware until much later, starting in 1928.

The most intriguing aspect of your beautiful pre-modernist bracelet is that it is marked "FINLAND", but the 830S is NOT a Finnish assay mark. Finland uses an "H" after the Purity Number (please see our Precious Metals Units page through our EXTRA HELP section).

Instead, this "S" notation is associated mostly with either Denmark or Sweden. There are no other hallmarks typical of Finland other that the word "Finland". This may indicate that this item was made elsewhere for a Retailer or Wholesaler & Distributor and was sold in Finland.

In fact, this lovely sterling silver bracelet was actually made in Denmark and the punched initials correspond to INGEBORG BERTELSEN who worked in Copenhagen (Denmark), ca 1910s - 1930s.

So in brief, your item was designed and/or made by Ingeborg Bertelsen, assayed in Denmark as .830 as noted, and then sold/exported to or through Finland, where it was re-marked "FINLAND", perhaps to satisfy local regulations. It is also possible that Bertelsen worked in Finland as well for a while and finshed or sold some of his pieces there, but we could not confirm that this was ever the case.

We are simply amazed at how well you can draw this mark, absolutely remarkable accuracy!!! However, the photo of the mark is actually very good and super clear. This mark is already included in our database under the "C" and "ANIMALS - except Lions" Shape Categories. It is listed as CRESCENT SILVERWARE MFG Co. and dates ca 1920s - 1970s. Because of these specific marks and the lack of any other notation such as "Sterling", we can assure you that your elegant Coffee Set is Silverplated. For faster viewing, please use our NAME SEARCH for Crescent Silverware to see additional variations of this mark and read more on the company.

Yes, this mark is included in our database under at least the "ARROWS, AXES etc etc" Shape Category and is listed as WEBSTER Co. [later Div. of REED & BARTON], N. Attleboro, MA, USA, ca 1869 - 1950 or please use our NAME SEARCH for WEBSTER to view it faster. Based on its very Art Nouveau or Late Victorian decorative style, we believe it dates from around 1880s to 1920s.

This is definitely Danish, Copenhagen to be specific - please browse use our "Recognizing Country of Origin Hallmarks" page through our EXTRA HELP section to view all related marks faster. It denotes a minimum of .826 Sterling Silver content. Yours probably dates ca 1787 as noted. The middle mark seems to be that of a concurrent Assayer, namely FREDERIK FABRITIUS, who worked ca 1787 - 1823. Fabritius was one of the most prolific and well documented Assayers of the time in Copenhagen. The bottom mark is a Zodiac sign used on Danish Sterling Silver ca 17th - 19thC, in this case that of Gemini (varies).

To use our huge database of Silver & Jewelry makers' marks and hallmarks, including marks on other Precious metals, Pewter and other collectible Metalware, please see our Silver & Jewelry or Pewter Marks Identification Guides.

To find prices and determine values for your antiques & collectibles, including Jewelry & Silver or Pewter, please see our Antiques Price Guides with millions of examples of items sold at auction.