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: O - Z
DIRECTORY: A-F G-J
K-N
O-Z
ALPHABETIC/FIGURAL DIRECTORY
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Peter A. Ødegaard - Arendal
1868 - 1933
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Ole Nicolai Olberg
(b.1875 - d. 1954) workshop founded in 1907. Manufacturer of filigree work for export and, later, maker of enamelled items
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Theodor Olsens Eftf - Bergen
Founded by Theodore Olsen (1837-1890) in 1868. After his death the silversmithery and store were sold to brothers Magnus and Knut Aase, but continued under the name of Theodore Olsen. Since then, many generations of the Aase family have managed the firm. In 2016 Theodor Olsen Eftf became Arven AS
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Thorvald Olsen - Bergen
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OPRO Produkter - Oslo
Founded in 1945 by Ole-Petter Raasch Olsen. In 1976 OPRO bought Finn Jensen business
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H.C. Østrem A/S - Drammen
a wholesale business founded in 1875 by Hans Christian Østrem. It was for many years the leading wholesaler in the jewelry industry in Norway. The company closed down in 2002.
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Hroar Prydz - Oslo
(b. 1859 - d. 1937) a wholesale company founded by Hroar Prydz in 1891. It sold mainly German goods. The company was bought by Hans Myhre after Prydz death (1937). Took over by Else Berntsen Hughes (Studio Else & Paul) in 1965 and closed in 1985
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Knut A. Rasmussen - Oslo
Knut Andreas Rasmussen (b.1837 - d.1918) opened a workshop in 1872 specializing in the fabrication of filigree. In 1901 his son Edward Julius Rasmussen (1866-1927) took over the company. After the death of Edward Julius Rasmussen, his wife Hilda Rasmussen took over the business together with the family's eldest son Torleiv Rasmussen. The store and the goldsmith business closed in the 1960s.
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Georg Johannes Ruud
(b. 1888 - d. 1957) apprenticeship to David Andersen completed in 1906. In 1923, after working experience with Ole Olberg and Nils M. Elvik, he started up his own silver and enamelware workshop under the name of Georg J. Ruud. In 1952 Ruud entered in partnership with Bredo Martin Østby and the company name was changed to Georg J. Ruud & co. The company closed in 1958
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Saethers Gull- og Solvvarefabrikk - Oslo
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Albert Scharning - Oslo
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Ragnar Skalstad - Oslo
Ragnar Skalstad (b.1923-d.2001) workshop active 1953-1990
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Sylvsmidja - Voss
founded 1940
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N.M. Thune - Oslo
founded in 1857 by Nilius Martinius Thune (1831-90) who over the business of goldsmith FJ Brinck in Kristiania. During the first half of the 20th century, NM Thune was one of the dominant goldsmith companies of the country. In the 1950s and especially in the 1960s, interest in corpus works decreased. Thune therefore increasingly focused on cheaper enamel jewelery mainly intended for a younger audience and the tourist and export market. In 1982, NM Thune was sold out by the family and bought by Olav Thon and later by Erling Bjerke.
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Jacob Tostrup - Oslo
(b. 1806 d. 1890) In 1832 Jacob Ulrich Holfeldt Tostrup opened the goldsmithing workshop J. Tostrup in Oslo. His grandson, goldsmith and designer Jacop Tostrup Prytz, took over the business in 1913. In 1960 Theodor Olsen Eftf bought the rights to produce several of Jacop Tostrup Prytz's best known designs
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Tone Vigeland - Fredrikstad (active 1961 - present)
Throughout her career Tone Vigeland has been represented in numerous exhibitions and galleries. Her work can be seen in Applied Arts Museums worldwide.
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Magnus Samuel Wessmann - Moss - active 1856-1892
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Willy Winnæs - Oslo
(b. 1911 - d. 2002) Willy Winnæs worked as a journeyman for J.Tostrup and later for David-Andersen. In 1941 he started his own workshop (closed in 1978)
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NORWEGIAN / NORWAY SILVER MAKERS
DIRECTORY: A-F G-J
K-N
O-Z
ALPHABETIC/FIGURAL DIRECTORY
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