


£4 Charity shop find
So spotted this in a local charity shop for £4, didn’t spot the Hallmarks, just liked the look of it as an early Danzig/Gdansk Souvenir spoon, as I’m walking back to my car with it flipped it over and spotted the Hallmarks.
This is what a bit of sleuthing and AI are telling me
Antique German .800 Silver Danzig Souvenir Spoon – Heraldic Crest & Motto Nec Temere Nec Timide (c. 1890–1930s)
Overview & Description
An antique continental silver souvenir spoon featuring the elaborate heraldic coat of arms of the city of Danzig (modern-day Gdańsk, Poland). The pierced and cast finial displays two lions supporting a shield with two stacked crosses beneath a royal crown. Below the shield is a motto scroll reading "NEC TEMERE NEC TIMIDE". The handle features ornate beaded borders and acanthus leaf molding leading to a teardrop-shaped bowl.
Heraldry & Historical Context
Location represented: City of Danzig (Gdańsk).
Coat of Arms: Two lions rampant act as supporters holding a shield adorned with a double cross surmounted by a ducal crown.
Motto: "Nec Temere, Nec Timide" — Latin for "Neither rashly nor timidly." This has served as the historic civic motto of Danzig since the Hanseatic period.
Period: Circa 1890s–1930s. During this era (spanning the late German Empire through the Free City of Danzig period), silver souvenir spoons were highly prized grand tour collectibles depicting major European trade ports and Hanseatic cities.
Hallmark Breakdown
The back rim of the bowl displays clear German control stamps:
800**:** Indicates 800/1000 fineness continental silver (the standard purity for German silver flatware established in 1888).
GES. GESCH.**:** Abbreviation for Gesetzlich Geschützt (German for "Protected by Law" / Copyrighted Design).
This indicates a design patent mark used extensively in Germany from the late 19th century through the mid-20th century.
National Symbol / Maker's Stamp: Adjacent to the purity mark is a crescent moon and crown (Reichsstempel) alongside the maker's hallmark symbol.
Possible Silversmiths
This spoon was produced in Germany for the tourist trade in Baltic port cities like Danzig. Based on the stamping style, casting quality, and distribution of Ges. Gesch. souvenir flatware, likely makers include:
- Koch & Bergfeld (Bremen, Germany): One of the premier German manufacturers of ornate heraldic and city-view souvenir flatware during this period.
- M. H. Wilkens & Söhne (Hemelingen/Bremen): Renowned for detailed cast crest finials and high-end export/souvenir silver throughout the German Empire.
- Moritz Stumpf & Sohn (Danzig): A prominent local
- Danzig court jeweler and silversmith who retailed and commissioned high-grade silver city souvenirs during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Value approx : £35 - £50 dependent on market sold to
Not bad for a unexpected £4 find
Gonna keep this and add it to my inherited spoon collection, think I’ve caught the silver spoon bug 🤩😬😜