Britannia metal, iron, steel, copper alloys and silverplated goods. Lapada guide to reading british silver hallmarks lapada. There is also a range of optional marks that can be applied alongside the hallmark if requested. English silver hallmarks pdf download full pdf read. Confusing marks on sterling silver and silver plate. A typical set of antique british silver hallmarks showing left to right. If a mark illustrated here matches one you are researching, there is a possibility another may have made it.
A guide to british sterling silver hallmarks hobbylark. Import marks from 1999 following a ruling of the european court of justice the uk is required to accept national hallmarks of member states who provide an equivalent guarantee. Silver hallmarks were a later addition to the goldsmiths duties, and at the time english silver was required to be 92. Decoding hallmarks a guide to reading hallmarks on british. They are the walking lion, the standing lion, the thistle, the crowned harp, and the symbol of britannia. Makers mark this particular set of marks tells us that this item was made of sterling, in the city of london, in the year 1789, during the reign of king george iii, and by the silversmith thomas wallis. This is no longer the case, but it can be applied voluntarily in addition to the compulsory marks. British silver plate marks encyclopedia of silver marks. London makers marks menu this page of london makers marks is organized alphabetically by the first letter in the mark. British pewter marks of the 20th century selected from the website of. Swiss hallmarks and other marks found in watch cases. In some countries, the testing of silver objects and marking of purity is controlled by a. The shtffield silversmiths and their marks from the cstablishment of their assay office in.
Apr, 2020 heres a quick rundown of what these marks include. On sale antique victorian style ss filigree brooch with british silver hallmarks onlyblueskies. Dublin silver is struck with a crowned harp, to which a seated figure of hibernia was added in 1731. Decode the hallmarks on british silver and discover the age of your silver. If you are unable to identify the assay office from one of the town marks below you may have a. This set of marks indicates the piece was made of sterling, in the city of london, in 1789, during the reign of king george iii, by thomas wallis. Town mark, corresponding to the mark of the uk assay office that has verified the piece. Apr 12, 2017 hallmark standards in most european nations are in the hands of an assay office. Howard 1903, old london silver, its history, its makers and its. The office has a proud history of testing and hallmarking items manufactured from precious metals since 1773. Nowhere else in the world are consumers more highly protected than in the uk. A royal duty mark was added from 1784 to 1890 not always found on jewelry of this period.
Download bradburys book of hallmarks pdf ebooks by frederick. With 500 of the more important makers marks from 16971900 dealer guides. A silver object that is to be sold commercially is, in most countries, stamped with one or more. Uk and british silver hallmarks a complete guide canadagold. The prime purpose of these marks is to show that the metal of the item upon which they are stamped is of a certain level of purity. German hallmarks i encyclopedia of silver marks, hallmarks. It has been in operation since the 0s when a law of edward i required all silver sold in england to be of at least the same quality as the silver currency hence the term sterling for the silver standard. British silver hallmarks were first introduced in 27. The marks used by british and english silver hallmarking system are. To date your silver from its hallmark first identify the assay office e.
Convention marks exemption weights articles above these weights must be hallmarked 7. Maybe to put in with the pdf information, after a seco. A hallmark is an official mark or series of marks struck on items made of metal, mostly to certify the content of noble metalssuch as platinum, gold and silver an introduction to antique jewelry hallmarks on antique gold jewelry is essential reading for any investing in fine jewelry funjourney. For the full guidelines on the use of logo marks, please refer to the british hallmarking councils principles and guidance on sponsors marks, logo and town marks. Since 2015 visually identical uk hallmarks are being struck in india and italy by suboffices of birmingham. Oct 22, 2019 british sterling silver hallmarks help to identify the maker and year of manufacture of sterling silver items produced by great britain. Guide to world hallmarks i encyclopedia of silver marks. Learn how to maintain the elegant, soft lustre of hand polished silver.
Birmingham makers marks menu this page of birmingham makers marks is organized alphabetically by the first letter in the mark. The british 1887 merchandise marks act allowed the british customs to accept silver items hallmarked in their country of origin, so long as they were at least of sterling standard fineness. This database will allow you to research birmingham hallmarks, including sponsors marks and dates. Reading british silver hallmarks the vast majority of english, scottish and irish silver produced in the last 500 years is stamped with either 4 or 5 symbols, known as hallmarks.
Complete pdf reference guide to discovering antique british. The use of a letter contained in a shield or cartouche can be matched exactly to the key provided in any english silver marks book. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. The new act created the british hallmarking council, harmonised date letters, simplified gold standards and reinforced compulsory hallmarking for gold, silver and, for the first time, platinum. A lion passant, or walking lion, stands for sterling silver. Buyers of antique silver products made in the uk should therefore notice several different hallmarks stamped into the surface of the pieces they are buying. Welcome to the early silver hallmarks database of assay office birmingham. George iii silver, george iii reign 17601820 george iii. In london, the goldsmiths hall keeps copies of all british hallmarks, from the earliest in the th century to the present day. London hallmarks 1 encyclopedia of silver marks, hallmarks. Ha makers marks of an illustrated directory listing 3000 hallmarks of england, scotland, ireland, channel islands and colonial silver canada, india, cape, australia, maker marks, town marks, date letter, duty marks.
In a more general sense, the term hallmark can also be used to refer to any distinguishing characteristic. British sterling english hallmarks, irish hallmarks. The london assay office is administered by the london goldsmiths company. Austrohungarian hallmarks 18661922 austria austrian hallmarks after 1922 belgium top left 1831 1868, second standard mark for.
With 500 of the more important makers marks from 16971900 dealer guides by judith banister sep 30, 2004. A history of english goldsmiths and plateworkers, and their marks stamped on plate. This is an open ended project, new marks are continually added. Mar 19, 2021 identifying antique british silver by t. Silver hallmarks database contact your local assay office.
Understanding and learning to recognize these marks can help you avoid costly mistakes in both the purchase and sale of antique english silver. Sequences of historical marks for the following offices can be viewed through the links below reproduced courtesy of the british hallmarking council. Silver standard marks the standard mark indicates the purity of silver. The vast majority of english, scottish and irish silver produced in the last 500 years is stamped with either four or five symbols, known as hallmarks. The official hallmarking guide supplied by the birmingham assay office in the uk it is illegal to sell or describe any item as gold, silver or platinum or palladium unless it is hallmarked and weighs more than 1g if gold or palladium, 7. The first step to identifying silver hallmarks is to look for the standard mark. Identification hallmarking research guides at state. Britannia silver sterling silver palladium gold platinum scotland sterling silver the date letter optional until 1999 the date letter was compulsory. Download file pdf discovering hallmarks on english silver. Birmingham hallmarks 1 encyclopedia of silver marks. There were five different marks used on british silver, and theyre easy to recognize. A hallmark is an official mark or series of marks struck on items made of metal, mostly to certify the content of noble metalssuch as platinum, gold, silver and in some nations, palladium.
The assay office marks for gold would be in a square shield with chamfered corners and in a blunt oval for silver. Indeed, the term hallmark derives from the requirement to bring goods to goldsmiths hall to have them marked. The sites main focus is the silver markings used on vintage and antique sterling and coin silver, for those of you interested in silverplate trademarks, we have now added a large section. English silver hallmarks pdf download full read book page. British hallmarks include a fineness or purity mark, an assay office mark, a date letter, and usually but not always, a makers mark. Late 18th century to circa 1900 including marks on britannia metal, iron, steel. English, american, russian, italian, french, german, austrian, mexican, hanau silver, silver plate, electroplate silver, old sheffield plate and much more. Marks in watch cases hallmarks, sponsors marks, etc.
After this date, it was an offence to sell any precious metal without the appropriate hallmarks. This was known as sterling silver, and would be a recognised standard the world over for years to come. All modern gold, silver and platinum items made in the u. The standard mark indicates the purity of the silver. A silver object that is to be sold commercially is, in most countries, stamped with one or more silver hallmarks indicating the purity of the silver, the mark of the manufacturer or silversmith, and other optional markings to indicate date of manufacture and additional information about the piece. The metal is tested and marked at special offices, regulated by the government, known as assay offices. For other towns hallmarks see the english silver books listed at the end of this book. This is a page of a small collection of antique silver and objects of vertu, a pages richly illustrated website offering all you need to know about antique silver, sterling silver, silverplate, sheffield plate, electroplate silver, silverware, flatware, tea services and tea complements, marks and hallmarks, articles, books, auction catalogs, famous silversmiths tiffany, gorham, jensen.
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