What does the hallmark of Denmark with a whale on a silver comb and mirror mean and what year were they made?

Answer 1

Oh, honey, that silver comb and mirror with a whale from Denmark are probably from the 20th century. The hallmark just tells you it's Danish and the whale design is probably just some cute decoration they thought would sell well. So, if you're looking for a deep, profound meaning behind it, you might be out of luck.

Answer 2

The whale is the maker's mark for Hans Jensen.

If it is solid silver, then there will also be a fineness grade marked, such as '830s', '925s', or 'sterling'. When the whale appears alone, then the item is silverplated. Do not believe any seller who claims they are solid silver 'because they tested as sterling'. Those people are not doing the test correctly.

There are numerous items that were made by Jensen, mostly of a smallish size, such as the comb & case combo, cigarette boxes, mirrors, bracelets, etc. and they usually featured a design involving peasants celebrating or going about their rural activities.

Despite the fact that most sellers like to claim that these are from about 1900, when Jensen's firm was first established, they actually were made around mid-20th century. It usually was not until after WWII that you would see 'Denmark' stamped on an item in English. Previously it would have been marked 'Danmark' in Danish.