[Bell Historians] Founder's mark

[Chris Pickford]

I e-mailed Ron offline to suggest it was a "corrected rubbing" (same thing as GAD's "badly drawn") version of the Warner mark used in the 1860s & 1870s which would, by the way, have shown the initials J (above) / W & S (centre) / and the date (below). 

But in view of the suggested Irish connection I later wondered if it might be the mark of William Covey as the NBR shows a date of 1693 for the Whitehaven bell. On checking Dukes (also the Struckett / Walters lists - Covey isn't in JCB's Dove listing), however, I see that the latest date for William Covey is in the 1680s and that by 1693 Tobias was the bellfounding member of the Covey family. I can't, however, find any illustration of any mark(s) used by these founders.

Any other thoughts?  (But yes, inscription, diameter and a re-check of the mark itself would be helpful)

CP
           
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