ENGLISH ELECTROPLATE SILVER MARKS AND HALLMARKS OF ENGLISH SILVER PLATE

WITH THE ADDITION OF OTHER BRITISH, SCOTTISH AND IRISH MAKERS

created by Giorgio B. owner of www.silvercollection.it ©

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The two common forms of plated silver are Sheffield plate and silverplate/electroplate.
Sheffield Plate is a cheaper substitute for sterling, produced by fusing sheets of silver to the top and bottom of a sheet of copper or base metal. This 'silver sandwich' was then worked into finished pieces. At first it was only put on one side and later was on top and bottom.
Modern electroplating was invented by Italian chemist Luigi V. Brugnatelli in 1805. Brugnatelli used his colleague Alessandro Volta's invention of five years earlier, the voltaic pile, to facilitate the first electrodeposition. Unfortunately, Brugnatelli's inventions were repressed by the French Academy of Sciences and did not become used in general industry for the following thirty years.
Silver plate or electroplate is formed when a thin layer of pure or sterling silver is deposited electrolytically on the surface of a base metal. By 1839, scientists in Britain and Russia had independently devised metal deposition processes similar to Brugnatelli's for the copper electroplating of printing press plates.
Soon after, John Wright of Birmingham, England, discovered that potassium cyanide was a suitable electrolyte for gold and silver electroplating.
Wright's associates, George Elkington and Henry Elkington were awarded the first patents for electroplating in 1840. These two then founded the electroplating industry in Birmingham England from where it spread around the world.
Common base metals include copper, brass, nickel silver - an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel - and Britannia metal - a tin alloy with 5-10% antimony.
Electroplated materials are often stamped EPNS for electroplated nickel or silver, or EPBM for electroplated Britannia metal.

	WILLIAM ADAMS INC. Birmingham and New York Founded in 1865 by William Adams. Much of its production was exported, especially to the United States. Later the business was purchased by Henry Jenkins & Sons Ltd. Trademarks were registered in the U.S. in 1932 and 1950.
	ADIE BROTHERS LTD Birmingham The firm was incorporated in 1906 joining the firms of McKewan & Adie (manufacturing jewellers, gold and silversmiths) and E.S. Barnsley & Co (box and packing case makers). It had manufacturing premises in Birmingham and London
	C.J. ADIE & NEPHEW Birmingham c- 1902. Possibly the firm is active as C.J. Adie & Nephew Ltd at Pembroke House, 7 Brunswick Sq, Bristol
	AINSWORTH, TAYLOR & CO Birmingham
	WILLIAM ALEXANDER & SON Glasgow
	JAMES ALLAN & CO Sheffield Active at Johnson Lane, Sheffield since 1849, producing Britannia Metal wares
	ALLEN & DARWIN London & Sheffield Charles James Allen & Sidney Darwin trading as Allen & Darwin. Listed at 7 Hatton Garden, (1893-1894) and 12 Bartlett's Buildings, London (1897-1900). Active at Portland Works, 55 Arundel St, Sheffield (1898-1912). In 1928 the firm was changed to Allen's
	A.N.D. Plate Ltd Birmingham c. 1948
	ANGORA SILVER PLATE CO LTD Sheffield
	ARMY & NAVY COOPERATIVE SOCIETY Westminster Firm established in 1871 at 117 Victoria Street, Westminster. In 1901 branches were opened at Bombay, Delhi, Calcutta and Karachi
	ARMSTRONG & SCOTT Birmingham c. 1894
	ARNOLD & LEWIS Manchester Active at 7 St. Ann's Square, Manchester from c. 1875 until c. 1905. The firm succeeded to I. Simmons as retail jewellers, goldsmiths and silversmiths, watch and clock makers
	PHILIP ASHBERRY & SONS Sheffield Active at 21 Bowling Green St, Sheffield (1856-1935). Philip Ashberry began trading in 1829 making Britannia metal wares.The names SAVOY and STAYBRIGHT were used in early 20th century cutlery
	FREDERICK C.ASMAN & CO Sheffield Active at 20 Cambridge St. (1905-1933) and at 34 Eyre St., Sheffield (1934-1940)
	ASPREY & CO LTD London Business established in 1781 at Mitcham , Surrey, by William Asprey. Chronology of the firm: Kennedy & Asprey (1841-1843), Charles Asprey (until 1872), Charles Asprey & Son (until 1879), Charles Asprey & Sons (until 1888), C.& G.E. Asprey (until 1900 c.), Asprey (&Co) (until 1909), Asprey & Co Ltd (until present)

HENRY ATKIN ATKIN BROTHERS Sheffield The firm traces its establishment to Thomas Law in mid 18th century. It was succeeded by Henry Atkin and John Oxley trading as Atkin, Oxley & Co. In 1840 Henry Atkin continued the trade as Henry Atkin & Co at 32 Howard Street, Sheffield. After his death, his brothers Harry Wrigth Atkin, Edward Thomas Atkin and Frank Shaw Atkin continued the business as Atkin Brothers. The firm was converted in 1925 into a limited liability company under the style of Atkin Brothers (Silversmiths) Ltd.

E.P.N.S. (Electroplated Nickel Silver) and EPBM (Electroplated Britannia Metal) are the most common names attributed to silver plate items. But many other names are used for silver plate:
EPWM - Electroplate on White Metal, EPC - Electroplate on Copper, Argentium Argentine Plate, Argentum, Ascetic B. B. S. Ltd, Ashberry, Austrian Silver, Brazilian Silver D&A Trademark of Daniel and Arter, Buxbridge - Trademark name of JT&Co., Electrum, Encore TT&Co Trademark of T. Turner, Exquisite, HH&S , I.XL Geo. Wostenholm & Son, Insignia Plate, JB&S EP A1, JD&S = John Dixon & Sons, K & TL , M&W Mappin and Webb, N.S. New Silver, Nevada Silver D&A Trademark of Daniel and Arter, Norwegian Silver; Trademark of WG&S, Pelican Silver JGNS, Potosi Silver N&S WP, RN&S EP Neill, Silverite = Trademark of W P & Co , Sonora Silver = Trademark of Walker and Hall, Spur Silver = Trademark of E B & Co for Edwin Blyde & Co, Stainless N. S., Stainless Nickel, Stainless Nickel Silver, Venetian Silver - Trademark of Deykin & Sons, WF&SS EP

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