A SMALL COLLECTION OF ANTIQUE SILVER
AND OBJECTS OF VERTU
THE WHAT IS? SILVER DICTIONARY


HALLMARK
MARK
MAKER'S MARK
TOWN MARK
ASSAYER MARK
DUTY MARK

They are punched mark(s) on an article of silver to identify the town or assay office and the silversmith who made the item or assayed it, Hallmarks on silver have been used in Great Britain since the reign of Edward I (1272-1307) and in some countries on the Continent since the 14th century.
In the United States, where there is no governement assaying, there are now no official hallmarks.



London hallmark: William Sumner 1733

British silver has also a 'date letter' corresponding to the date of assaying of the piece and the 'Sovereign's head' to certify the payement of the duty (1784-1890).
Different Marks and Hallmarks are punched also on 'Old Sheffield Plate', in Electroplated Silver and in Silver Plate.
English sterling silver hallmarks click here
British Pipe Makers marks click here

George Booth mark, c. 1800-1825

Scottish Provincial silver marks
click here
J.LG into three conjoined circles mark, John Le Gallais

Channel Islands silver marks
click here
A.H and English pseudo-hallmarks mark, Anselm Hardy, Quebec 1853-1854

Canada silver marks
click here
BARCLAY David

Australia silver marks
click here
LB mark, Lodewyk Beck, Cape Colony 1850 c.

Cape Colony silver marks
click here
Elkington & Co. Ltd - Birmingham



English Electroplate and Silver Plate hallmarks
click here
Devices of Old Sheffield Plate



Old Sheffield Plate hallmarks
click here
Russian hallmark

Russian silver hallmarks
Russian assayer marks
Russian maker's mark
Russian town mark
Russian 'Artels'
Russian 'Kokoshnik'

Italian hallmark



Italian silver hallmarks
click here
German national mark from 1888 Roth & Comp.Silberwaren-Manufaktur: Hanau, end of 19th century hallmark

German silver hallmarks

Hanau silver hallmarks
French hallmarks



French silver hallmarks
click here
American silverplate hallmarks


American silverplate marks click here
American Sterling Silver marks click here

Elkington hallmark 1840

Famous maker's hallmarks:
Elkington & Co   Tiffany & Co   Jensen   Gorham   WMF   Faberge   Bateman   Mappin & Webb   Reed&Barton   Gorham   Wiener Werkstatte  




English home page
This is a page of 'The What is? Silver Dictionary' of A Small Collection of Antique Silver and Objects of vertu, a 1500 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, Elkington), history, oddities ...
HOME - SITE MAP - SILVER DICTIONARY - COOKIES CONSENT AND PRIVACY