EUROPEAN COUNTRIES SILVER AND GOLD HALLMARKS
NORWAY
A silver or gold object that is to be sold commercially is, in most countries, stamped with one or more hallmarks indicating the purity of the metal and the mark of the manufacturer or silversmith
The word "HALLMARK" derives from the fact that, since the 16th century, precious metals were sent to the London Goldsmiths' Hall for testing to ensure that the correct standard of silver had been used. The Goldsmiths' Hall was the headquarters of the Goldsmiths' Company and the home of the Assay Office.
In some countries, the testing of precious metal objects and marking of purity is controlled by a national assay office.
Depending on the national legislation the use of hallmarks may be compulsory, voluntary or provided by a manufacturer's declaration.
The Norwegian hallmarking system is organized on a voluntary base.
Norway was in union with Denmark from 1380. In 1814 Norway was ceded to Sweden. In 1905 the union with Sweden was dissolved and the Norwegian constitutional monarchy was reinstated,
The modern Norwegian system of hallmarking came into effect after the 1891 Act.
It consists of the national symbol of a crowned rampant lion holding a battle axe inside a circular frame, the silver fineness mark and the maker's mark.
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In 1892, silver fineness was standardized at .830 and the mark 830S became compulsory. In 1920, standard .925 started to replace .830 purity.
At the present purity 999, 925, 830 and 800 are admitted for silver items, but .925 is the foremost standard in use.
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OTHER MARKS ON NORWEGIAN SILVER AND SILVERPLATE
The "NM" mark, often present in Norwegian silver, is the abbreviation of "Norskt Mönster" meaning Norwegian pattern. It is a kind of a copyright mark for Norway
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Mark registered in 1929 by the "Fabrikantgruppen innen Gull- og Solvvareleverandorenes Forening" (The manufacturer group within the Association of Gold and Silver Manufacturers)
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A quality mark, rarely used, introduced in 1947 to certify the quality of silverware
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Quality mark introduced in 1931 by the Norwegian Goldsmiths' Association for white metal plated with at least 60 grams of silver
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HALLMARKING CONVENTION
Norway is from 1983 a country member of the Convention on the Control and Marking of Articles of Precious Metals, an international treaty between States on the cross border trade in precious metal articles. It was signed in Vienna in November 1972 and entered into force in 1975.
The Convention's Common Control Mark (CCM) has the same legal status as a national Assay Office mark. The CCM is applied by national Assay Offices to articles of platinum, gold, palladium and silver after the fineness of the alloy has been checked in accordance with agreed testing methods.
Articles bearing the CCM - together with the national Assay Office Mark, the responsibility mark (manufacturer or sponsor) and the fineness mark indicating its purity - do not have to be re-controlled or re-marked in the states members of the Convention.
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NORWEGIAN / NORWAY SILVER MAKERS: G - J
DIRECTORY: A-F G-J
K-N
O-Z
ALPHABETIC/FIGURAL DIRECTORY
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Gustav Gaudernack - Oslo
born in 1865 in Binsdorf (Austria-Hungary, now Bynovec, Czechia), formerly David Andersen main in-house designer. In 1910 he founded in Kristania the "Fabrik for Sølv-, Filigran- & emaljevarer" (Factory for Silver, Filigree & Enamelware). He died in 1914, but the activity continued until 1938 under the control of his wife, Anna Gaudernack, with Olaf Lindrup as manager and his son, Finn Gaudernack, as designer
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Alfred Halfdan Gjerstrøm - Oslo (1895-1960)
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Ole G Hæhre, Drammen
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Marius Hammer - Bergen
Marius Hammer (1847 - 1927) settled in Bergen in 1871, and during the late 19th and early 20th centuries established what would eventually become Norway's largest goldsmithing workshop. In 1925 Theodor Olsen Eftf took over the Hammer business
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Leif Johan Hansen - Bergen - active 1948-1977
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Nils Hansen - Oslo Sølvvareverksted - Ørje
Nils Hansen (b. 1877 - d. 1946) established in 1926 the siverware factory Oslo Sølvvareverksted. In 1990 the factory changed its name to Nils Hansen Sølvvarefabrikk AS. It was discontinued in 2001 and the production sold out.
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Gustav Wilhelm Hellstrøm - Stavanger
(b. 1839 - d. 1902) Gustav Wilhelm Hellstrøm opened in 1868 his retail shop and a workshop in Stavanger. His son Gustav Fredrik Hellstrøm (1878 - 1965) was admitted as partner in the business in 1900 and succeeded in the activity at the death of his father (1902). The company's name was changed to G. Hellstrøm & Co, producing large quantities of silver and enamelware. The workshop closed in 1957
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Kristian M. Hestenes - Bergen
(b. 1873 - d. 1928) opened his shop with workshop in 1904. Manufacturer of flatware, holloware and jewellery items in silver. His son Magnus (b. 1901 - d. 1984) took over the company when his father died in 1928. The company closed in 1993.
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Olav Fridtjof Hjortdahl - Oslo
(1887 - 1954) Active from 1931. After his death (1954) his son Tore Hjortdahl continued the activity until 1970
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Aslak Sørensen Hodne - Kristiansand (1857-1936)
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Aksel Holmsen - Sandefjord
Workshop established in 1904. His son Ivar took over the company in 1950. Out of business in 1971.
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Ivar T. Holth - Oslo
Ivar T. Holth (b.1909 - d.1977) began as wholesaler in 1943. In 1949, he founded Oslo Emalje- og Sølvvarefabrikk AS, which produced most of the enamel jewelery sold by his wholesale company. After his death (1977) the company was managed by his son Petter until 2007
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Ole Hval - Oslo
(b. 1871 - d. 1944) after apprenticeship with David Andersen continued to work in the firm until 1908. In 1908 entered in partnership with Emil Kristiansen founding the company Hval & Kristiansen. In 1931 the company closed down and Ole Hval opened a silver workshop of his own. In 1933 Hval left the management of the company, renamed Østlandske Sølv og Pletvarefabrik AS (closed in the 1960s).
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Ottar Hval - Oslo
Ottar Sverre Hval (b.1903), son of Ole Hval, apprenticed under his father at Hval & Kristiansen. in 1933, together with his father Ole Hvar, set up a business under the name Ottar Hval (closed in 1992)
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Finn Jensen - Oslo
Apprenticed to J. Tostrup. Manufacturer of vermeil guilloche enamel jewellery from 1953, succeeding to Jensen & Aamodt (partnership of Finn Jensen and Knut Aamodt, founded in 1946). The workshop continued activity after his death (1976) when was bought by OPRO
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Thorleif Johnsen - Oslo
Thorleif Johnsen (b.1891 - d.1935) trained in filigree at David Andersen. In 1912 established a craft shop for gold and enamel work. He is well known for his hand-painted enamel brooches
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N. A. Jørgensen - Brevik
(1869 - 1941)
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Frank & Regine Juhls - Kautokeino
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NORWEGIAN / NORWAY SILVER MAKERS
DIRECTORY: A-F G-J
K-N
O-Z
ALPHABETIC/FIGURAL DIRECTORY
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