Cash in the attic? Any idea what this is?

Reginald · 8 Dec 2017 at 13:44

Hey everyone,

Happy Friday! Got a bit of a mystery for you...

One of my neighbours found this in the loft. His wife says it's collecting dust and needs to be thrown out but he's hoping it's worth something.

First up, does anyone have any clue what it is?! From the hallmarks we think 1901 and silver plated but that's all we've got!

The markings on the back are:

1A Elkington P E&co. RD369937

To give you an idea of size:

A quick sketch of the hallmarks on the back:

Thanks!!

samcat · 8 Dec 2017 at 13:48

Looks like an Absinthe spoon.
I certainly have a number of similar spoons we use for Absinthe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinthiana

Greebo · 8 Dec 2017 at 13:52

Its "ELKINGTON" btw.

Good call Samcat

joey1211 · 8 Dec 2017 at 13:58

Tripping the light fantastic tonight!

Akagi · 8 Dec 2017 at 14:00

It is an absinthe spoon. The kink in it is to rest on the rim of a glass.

B@Th*nG · 8 Dec 2017 at 14:16

hallmarked and royal insignia on the back.. i'd get it valued

B@

Reginald · 8 Dec 2017 at 14:29

That was speedy, thanks everyone!

Guess I know what I'm doing tonight...

SPG · 8 Dec 2017 at 14:55

Even Victorians had to remove poop from upset people.

robfosters · 8 Dec 2017 at 15:12

Why would you just throw something like that out?

So not only do we have GD detectives, we now have a GD Antiques roadshow team, headed up by Eric Knowles, AKA, Samcat.

dirtychinchilla · 8 Dec 2017 at 15:13

B@Th*nG said:
hallmarked and royal insignia on the back.. i'd get it valued

B@

Still plated though.

Reginald · 8 Dec 2017 at 15:18

B@Th*nG said:
hallmarked and royal insignia on the back.. i'd get it valued

B@

We were wondering about that. What's the deal with Royal Insignia in use c.1901? Would it mean it was made for the Royal Family or was it just fashionable to have on stuff at the time? Also - IR? Was that James I?

dirtychinchilla said:
Still plated though.

Quite - not much value in the scrap - hopefully it is a nice, rare collectable or something

NewGamer11 · 8 Dec 2017 at 16:41

Maybe some sort of serving knife, e.g. cake or pie server? Have you got a local auction house? Could get one of their appraisers to take a look. Wouldn't have thought it would be worth a fortune though.

Madwelsh · 8 Dec 2017 at 20:36

maybe some interest as a curiosity online, aside from that, tat.. lucky to get £50. Not really old, not really notable, unless you can prove it belonged to oscar wilde or somebody special.. and plate, tat.. Regards to the royal bit, that is just a hallmark of a silversmith who makes or has made silver for royalty.

Greebo · 9 Dec 2017 at 15:36

Reginald said:
We were wondering about that. What's the deal with Royal Insignia in use c.1901? Would it mean it was made for the Royal Family or was it just fashionable to have on stuff at the time? Also - IR? Was that James I?

Quite - not much value in the scrap - hopefully it is a nice, rare collectable or something

From a quick google the manufacturer was makers to the royal family hence they were allowed to put it on everything they made.

FlakGunna · 9 Dec 2017 at 15:44

It looks like the last visual expression of a scoundrel who stole the kings bread in some medieval time and the king ordered his wizard to turn the scoundrel into a letter opener for all eternity.

dowie · 9 Dec 2017 at 16:35

Reginald said:
Quite - not much value in the scrap - hopefully it is a nice, rare collectable or something

I would't get your hopes up, I doubt it is worth much - you could try taking it to your local auction house and seeing what they'd put it in for.

Greebo · 9 Dec 2017 at 17:44

£10 to £20 is my estimate

G-MAN2004 · 9 Dec 2017 at 17:49

Best I can do is $10

StoutMeister · 9 Dec 2017 at 18:18

Absinthe spoon?

StoutMeister · 9 Dec 2017 at 18:19

worth? 10p and green faeries.