Date Letter First if Not sure of Makers Mark by: Anonymous
Hi Sarah thanks for writing in.
OK. The leopard's head is the UK - LONDON Town mark ca 1822 - Present.
The ANCHOR is the Birmingham Town mark. You mentioned in your post that the ring was gold and silver. Could you check please and let me know if it is a leopard's head or a lion (as in a whole one)? Lion Passant appears on sterling silver from 1831 to the Present. That puzzle aside.
Because you are unable to determine the letters clearly of the sponsor's mark, I suggest having a look at the date letter which will be the "S" letter. This will tell you the time period around which to research the maker.
You have to do this yourself, because you haven't uploaded a photo of the date letter. In the following link go to the top right hand of page to the Birmingham date letter chart.
Compare the letter "S" on your ring with the "S" letters in all the columns of both of the charts in the two links above. You have to be meticulous here. Check not only the style of the letter but the shape of the punch behind the mark. Is it a square, rectangle, oval, etc. BOTH MUST MATCH.
Let me know the date you arrive at that satisfies both of those criteria and then we can proceed to identify the maker's mark.
Sarah, you are posting from the land of opal down-under, so I'm just curious to know what makes you think the opals a lightening ridge opal?
