Posted 10 years ago
Streganonna
(13 items)
Can anyone help identify this maker's mark? It's on an old tea strainer that may be handmade due to the irregularities in construction. (uneven holes and numbers of holes in each section of the strainer, different sizes of "matching" details on both sides of the handle, etc.) We think it's from the late 1800's or early 1900's. I'll try to get a better picture of it, but it appears to be 3 "plumes" or perhaps a stylized "W," and then a zigzag line below it. The strainer says "sterling" and has the number "5005" below it.
So it is not Uncas Manufacturing Co?
Looks more like a citrus reamer
Looks nothing like a citrus reamer if you could see the whole item. I'll post a complete picture soon. It looks like a melon-shaped basket and the owner thinks each section may have been individually fabricated, holes punched (there are some missing in 1 or 2 sections, but you can see a slight mark where they should have gone.)
Well, I can answer my own question now. It was made by the Frank Whiting silver company and #5005 is the pattern number. There are 2 on ebay right now, but I actually found it by Googling "sterling 5005" and the name Whiting came up. I researched Whiting in the silver hallmarks, and that is it.... much of the hallmark is worn off from usage, but the three "plumes" on the right side are there, and what I thought was a zigzag mark is the W.