OVER 2 YOU 228 (26/04/05)

SILVER TONGS

I am a keen collector of silver sugar tongs (‘nips’ or ‘bows’ as they are sometimes called). Ninety percent of my 120 strong collection are English Hallmarked, and normally identifiable. However, I have some from European countries plus the USA, Russia and Argentina etc., and I am looking for a source of information to identify and explain foreign markings. I have not been able to find any books on foreign silver, although UK marks are well documented. Can anyone suggest a web site?

David Bennett, Allestree

I recommend that David Bennet has a look at the Online Encyclopaedia of Silver Hallmarks and Maker’s Marks, which includes a comprehensive database of more than 7000 mark covering both UK and European silverware. The web address for this remarkably useful resource is:

www.925-1000.com/

Christopher Taylor, via email

There is an excellent selection of silver hallmarks and maker’s marks from Russia, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, USA, Austria and of course the UK at: www.silvercollection.it/hallmarks.html

Peter Strong, via email

You will find a lot of useful information about silver hallmarks at: www.spratlingsilver.com/hallmarks.htm. This site deals with a number of overseas makers, including some really obscure ones in South America and is well worth reading in any case for all of the fascinating background details.

Charles Kenworth, via email

Your correspondent needs a good old-fashioned book entitled 'International Hallmarks on Silver, collected by Tardy', this should have everything he needs. Ensure you get an English language version, this was originally written in French. My copy (a 2000 reprint) has no ISBN identifying number unfortunately but silver dealers or www.abebooks.com should be able to help.

Andy Russell, via email

CRICKET ACCOUNTS

With the Cricket Season almost upon us, I wonder if any of your readers can suggest any freeware/shareware software that would make my life as Treasurer of my local Club easier - such as a very simple accounts package/spreadsheet template to help keep track of

Receipts and payments as well as helping to manage the bar (and stock) more effectively.

Rob Prill, via email

Any basic accounts package should be able to do the job, Microsoft Money springs to mind but you should keep an eye out for Quicken, which is now being heavily discounted by some suppliers. If your correspondent is looking for a good freeware or shareware package then he should look at either EasyMacc at: www.batchconverter.com/EasyMAcc-download-17351.shtml or Home MoneyManager which can be downloaded from: www.homemoneymanager.com/.

Alan Carling, via email

NUMBERED TICKETS

I produce tickets using Microsoft Publisher 2002 for events and outings organised by my local Women’s Institute.  I create them in File > Page Setup > Custom and print 6 or 8 to the page. However, it is often necessary for the tickets to be numbered.  Is it possible to number tickets in Publisher, or can anyone suggest a better method?

Chris Moore, Colchester

You do not need additional software. Create a column of numbers in, say, Excel, or a one-column table in Word, Head the column with a suitable heading - Nos. Save as (say) Numbers.txt Design your ticket in Publisher, Click on MailMerge, Open Data Source, choose other type of file, and click on your number list.

Back in your Ticket, insert a text box for your number, choose Insert Data Field from the MailMerge menu, and insert Nos.  You can Format font and text size to taste. You could use the same system to print Names, or indeed anything on your tickets.

Peter Williams, Liphook

GOLF SCORES

I am using a Microsoft Works spreadsheet to record the scores in a new Stableford (points) competition at my Golf Club. It involves adding the points scored by each competitor for each month, January - December. The winner is decided by the BEST 8 monthly scores out of a possible 12.  At present, my 'Total' column (O) has the formula of ‘SUM’ any of the previous 12 monthly columns (C -N).  When September arrives I will need a formula for Column ‘O’, which counts the values and for more than 8 simply sums the best 8, discarding any surplus lowest values.  My knowledge of formula construction (ordering, separators, etc) has proved

insufficient. Can anyone suggest how can it be done?

Lyndon Dunley, via email

To add the highest 8 out of 12 monthly golf scores in an Excel spreadsheet, then assuming the first member's 12 scores are in cells B5 to M5, then:

=SUM(B5:M5) - SMALL(B5:M5,1) - SMALL(B5:M5,2)        

 - SMALL(B5:M5,3) - SMALL(B5:M5,4)

In (say) cell N5 will provide the answer for the first member.  This can then be copied down column N for the remaining members (select N5 to N100, assuming the last member's scores are in row 100, and press Ctrl-D).

A. G. Rimmer, via email

CAN YOU HELP?

My 16-year old grandson has some simple animation software that was part of a package with a new family computer. He has made some excellent simple cartoons based on his own drawings, which he scanned in. He is interested in graphics and animation as a possible career so I have promised to buy him some more sophisticated software. However I do not know where to find any. I have tried the local computer stores without success. Can anyone recommend suitable software or a helpful website or supplier?

Doris Morey, via email

I run a small club for owners of holiday properties to swap holidays. We have had a website for several months but it is "invisible" because it is so unusual and no one realises it is there.   Can anyone tell me, how do you get noticed on the Internet?

C. C., via email