A CHINESE EXPORT PARCEL-GILT SILVER AND ENAMEL ESTHER SCROLL CASE, MARKED GOTHIC K, MID TO LATE 19TH CENTURY

Adrien von Ferscht has linked the Gothic K mark with a retail silversmith active in Canton between 1840 and 1875.  The presence of the mark on the Sassoon Torah tiks of 1883 or 1893 (lot 38) suggests the firm continued later in the century.  Mr. von Ferscht alos suggests that the usual accompanying Chinese character may be the "chopmark" of the artisan (see Chinese-Export-silver.com, post of December 5, 2012).  The Gothic K mark appeared on a very similar Chinese Esther scroll case sold Sotheby's, New York, December 19, 2012, lot 21.