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ELKINGTON ELECTROPLATE SILVER AND SILVER PLATE
MARKS - HALLMARKS - DATE LETTERS
Elkington - Elkington & Co - Elkington & C
(note 11)
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The earliest electroplate made by Elkington's was marked with 'E
& Co' crowned in a shield and the word ELEC TRO PLATE in three portions.
In 1841 and again in 1842 the mark was changed and a date number was
added. The date number was in use from 1841 to 1848 (the 6 was reversed).
(click on "yellow date" for image)
see (note 6) for 1845, 1847 and 1848 mark
In 1849 the series was altered to letters, beginning with K
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(click on "yellow date" for image)
see (note 1) for 1849(K), 1852(N), 1853(O), 1854 and 1861 marks
see (note 5) for a variant of 1853 mark
see (note 7) for 1849, 1850 and 1858 mark
see (note 10) for 1851 "M" mark
see (note 20) for "HP" intertwined letters into a lozenge
see (note 21) for "F" letter into a lozenge
With the beginning of the new series of letters in 1865 the
mark was also changed. The date letter left out B, C, I and J,
while Q, not used by the sheet department and only partially by
the cast department, was used as well R in 1877.
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date letter
1865-1885
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(click on "yellow date" for image)
see (note 2) for 1865 mark see (note 3) for 1870 mark
see (note 8) for 1868 mark
see (note 16) for 1869 G mark
see (note 2) for 1881(V), 1883(X), 1884 and 1885 (Z) mark
Slightly different marks were used in 1898-1899 and from 1900
onwards.
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date letter
1886-1911
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(click on "yellow date" for image)
see (note 15) for 1892 mark
see (note 24) for 1898 mark
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date letter
1912-1936
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(click on "yellow date" for image)
see (note 9) for 1914 "C" mark
see (note 12) for 1912 "A" mark
see (note 22) for 1921 "J" mark
see (note 14) for 1936 "Z" mark
see (note 17) for 1928 "R" mark
see (note 18) for 1934 mark
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date letter
1937-1960
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(click on "yellow date" for image)
see (note 19) for 1957(W) mark
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date letter
1961-1986
(but production at Walsall stopped in 1968)
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(click on "yellow date" for image)
see (note 4) for 1970? mark
NOTES
note 1: exceptions were found to this rule. In this page 1849(K), 1852(N), 1853(O), 1854 and 1861
marks using "&" instead of "M gothic"
note 2: exceptions were found to this rule. In this page an example of 1865, 1877QR, 1880, 1881(V), 1885(Z) mark where "M gothic" is still used
note 3: references note that the "lozenge" was used from 1849
to 1864 and mark "H in a lozenge" was never used. A little mystery is
a mark with "H into a lozenge" coupled to the UK Patent Office lozenge
of a model registered in 1868 (date "march 11, 1868"). Maybe this was an
anomalous use of 1870 mark (letter into a lozenge instead of in a
square)
note 4: references note that production stopped in 1968. Mark
"J in a circle" refers presumably to 1970 outside Walsall
note 5: a gravy ladle with 1853 Elkington marks is punched also
GJ ABD . Presumably it refers to an item retailed by George Jamison in
Aberdeen
note 6: exceptions were found to this rule. On this page examples of 1845, 1847 and 1848
date number were used together with 1841 mark
note 7: exceptions were found to this rule. On this page examples of 1849, 1850 and 1858 date letters
using 1841 mark
note 8: a variant of 1868 mark (letter "F" into a square inside a lozenge) was
found in a large plaque with mythological motif
note 9: a variant of 1914 mark was found (slightly different shape of letter
"C" incuse)
.
note 10: a variant of 1851 mark was found ("E" instead of gothic )
note 11: Elkington table of marks presented on this page is based on the information contained
in:
- Victorian Electroplate, by Shirley Burly, The Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd, 1971
- Encyclopedia of American Silver Manufacturers, Dorothy T. Rainwater & Judy Redfield, Schiffer
Publishing Ltd, fourth Edition, 1998
The images presented on this page document many differences compared to the reference literature,
demostrating that Elkington never adopted a rigourous system of marks and the use of exceptions or
discontinuous marks was a common practice for its production.
note 12: present also retailer's mark: A.T. Wiley & Co Ld, Montreal
note 14: present the mark of Cunard White Star
note 15: Elkington & Co in script
note 16: possibly a variant of 1869 date letter: "G" into a lozenge instead of into
a square
note 17: marked also Marrison Hotel
note 18: marked also Monarchy
note 19: possibly 1957: marked "Cassidy's '57"
note 20: date not identified for an unusual "HP" intertwined into a lozenge mark. A suggested
hypothesis is that Elkington outsourced some work to John Henry Potter of Rockingham Works, Sheffield
to fulfil some large commission (possibly the contract with the Hotel Cecil in London which was being built
in 1896)
note 21: date unknown for an unusual "F" into a lozenge mark found on a napkin ring
note 22: mark's incuse of different shape
note 23: literature quotes 1846 date symbol as a 'reverse 9'. Examining the actual image the symbol looks like a bent "6" or an upside down "9"
note 24: in 1898 the "crown" was deleted when the Parliament forbade its use on silverplate wares to prevent abuses and
misunderstandings with the "crown" symbol of the Sheffield Assay Office (reserved to hallmarking sterling silver items)
ELKINGTON MARKS "PARADE"
(click on photo to enlarge image)
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ELKINGTON HISTORY
Elkington & Co. are one of the most important names in English silver
and certainly the most important in silver plate. They began life in
Birmingham as a company of silversmiths in 1836, and experimented with
improving gilding techniques. By 1838 they had discovered and patented a
new way to electroplate one metal on to the surface of another. By 1840
production was already underway with silver electroplated wares. The
company received financial backing from Josiah Mason in 1842 (renaming
the firm Elkington, Mason & Co between 1842 and 1861) and was extremely
successful. It introduced electrotyping as a new method of production
for silver plated items. Elkington & Co exhibited at the Great
Exhibition of 1851 with enormous success.
In 1885 Elkington registered designs by Christopher Dresser. Dresser's
designs included tea services, sugar bowls, claret jugs, kettles, cruet
stands, baskets, a tureen and a tankard. His models are recorded in
Elkington's silver and plated ware pattern-books.
Elkington held Royal Warrants for Queen Victoria, King Edward VI, King
George V, King Edward VIII and King George VI. The Elkington & Co. name
is still in use today as manufacturers under the auspices of British
Silverware Ltd.
ELKINGTON AT THE 1851 GREAT EXHIBITION
Elkington partecipated in the Metalware section of the 1851 Great
Exhibition held in Hyde Park in London in the specially constructed
Crystal Palace.
These are images of Elkington production exhibited at Crystal Palace
obtained from "The Art Journal illustrated catalogue. The industry of
all nations 1851. London, George Virtue, 1851"
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This is a page of Silvercollection.it "A Small Collection
of Antique Silver and Objects of vertu", a 1000 pages widely
illustrated website offering all you wish 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,
Elkington), history, oddities ...
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