Vintage Fane... but which one?

[Fanedango]

It looks like.... but then again it doesn't.
It is a 12 inch. From what I can make out, the numbers that are there might say 12314 with the sixth one missing.
I can't quite make out the dating either. Does that say 31/78? A '78 cast frame? Or should that be 73, as in the shadow underneath?
This one puzzles me.
Does anyone have any idea what this is?

[OldSchoolDave]

A '78 cast frame?

Yes. I have a cast frame HIWATT Fane dated 9/80. Some cast frames were used well into the stamped frame era.

Maybe it's just the picture, but that dust cap looks extremely large compared to the cone. Are you certain it's not a 10" speaker? Anyway, there are cosmetic similarities to a Crescendo, but I wouldn't venture a guess as to its actual characteristics...

Dave

[Fanedango]

Thank you for the response Dave.

The owner insists it is a 12 inch. However, I had the same reaction to the dust cap. I've never seen such a large dust cap on anything, not even on a crescendo.

I just noticed a second shadow underneath the /78 stamp: slightly further to the right. That one also looks to say 73.
One fine day in 1973/1978 the Fane stamp-chief had one too many pints for lunch. Maybe he and the dustcap-chief went out to lunch together...

[OldSchoolDave]

Probably splitting hairs, but Fane's "3" has a distinctly flat top. Don't think the "8" is a smeared "3".

Have the seller take a picture with a measuring tape stretched across the gasket. I'm curious to see just how big it really is.

Dave

[Fanedango]

I'll ask.
Update: no reply.