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.

	BALL BROTHERS not identified
	JAMES BALLANTYNE & SON Glasgow Jewellers at Virginia Street, Glasgow
	JOHN BAKER & SONS Sheffield The original John Baker (b.1797) (on the left his image, c. 1850) was making files in Rockingham St, Sheffield for many years but by the time of the 1861 census he was manufacturing in Monmouth Street. Mark's image is taken from a table knife commemorating the firm's centenary in 1937. Images and information were kindly supplied by Judy Baker a descendant of the firm's founder.
	BARKER BROS Birmingham Firm established in Birmingham in 1801 by Mary Barker. The business was continued by her son William Barker in partnership with Creed under the style Barker & Creed. In 1885 the firm traded under the style Barker Brothers at Unity Works, Paradise Street, Birmingham as a partnership of Herbert Edward Barker and Matthias Barker. In 1903 they moved to new factory premises, Unity Works, Constitution Hill, Birmingham. In 1907 the firm was converted into a limited liability company under the style Barker Brothers Silversmiths Ltd and in the 1960s the firm changed to the Barker Ellis Silver Co Ltd. The firm used the trade mark BRITANOID
	-EDWARD & JOHN BARNARD -EDWARD, EDWARD JNR, JOHN AND WILLIAM BARNARD London BARNARD'S FACTORY HISTORY and MARKS
	HENRY BARNASCONE & SON Sheffield
	C.F. BARNES & A.D. KIRKBY Sheffield
	Z. BARRACLOUGH & SONS Leeds The retail business was established in Leeds in 1805. By 1887 Z. Barraclough & Sons are listed at 54 Briggate Commercial Street, Leeds. After 1914 the firm was converted into a Ltd under the style of Z.Barraclough & Sons Ltd.
	JOHN BATT & COMPANY Sheffield Formerly John Batt (from 1867), the firm became & Co in 1896 at 14 Sycamore Street, Sheffield (1896-1938)
	WILLIAM BATT & SONS Sheffield 69 Broom Spring Lane, Sheffield. Became & Sons in 1863
	MAURICE BAUM Sheffield Active at Albert Works, 189-191 Norfolk St (1886-1900) and Mowbray St, Sheffield (1901-1904). The firm used the trade mark SILVERINE
	T. BEARDMORE Birmingham Active c. 1890
	ALBERT J. BEARDSHAW & CO Sheffield Active at 12 Mulberry St (1863-1866) and 32-35 Victoria St. Sheffield (1867-1951), trading as Beardshaw & Co from 1876
	WILLIAM HENRY BEAUMONT & CO Sheffield Active at 1 Gell St, Sheffield (1881-1886)
	JOHN BEDNAL & CO Sheffield
	WALTER BELK & SON Sheffield Active a Kingsley Works, Young St, Sheffield (1915-1931). The firm used the trade mark KINGSLEY PLATE and was transformed into a Ltd in 1923
	JONATHAN BELL & SONS Sheffield Succeeded to Jonathan Bell at 85 Montague St, Sheffield
	BENETFINK & CO London Benetfink is a retailer's mark. Benetfink & Co was an optical company based at 107-108 Cheapside, London. The firm was active using the names Ben & Jones (1845-1851), Benetfink & Co (1852-1861), Benetfink & Fox and, again, Benetfink & Company in the 1890s
	BIDDLE & COLLINWOOD Birmingham c. 1875
	JOHN BIGGIN & CO LTD Sheffield The firm used the trade mark APEX
	BIRMINGHAM GUILD OF HANDICRAFTS LTD Birmingham Formed in 1895 by Arthur Dixon and about 20 craftsman with the aim to reinstate handcraftmanship in Birmingham. The Guild was closely associated with the city's trade schools. The Guild amalgamated in 1910 with E & R. Gittings and merged in 1919 c. with Hart, Son, Peard & Co
	GEORGE BISHOP & SONS Sheffield Active at 216 Rockingham St. (1894-1913) and 158-164 Rockingham Lane (1914-1940)
	SOLOMON BLANCKENSEE & SON LTD Birmingham The firm was founded in Bristol in 1826. In 1863 it moved to Great Charles Street, Birmingham. Blanckensee & Son was the partnership of Solomon and Abraham Solomon Blanckensee
	THOMAS HENRY BLAKE Sheffield 1887-1911 at 36 Holly Street (1887-1900) and later at Carver Lane. Blake was formerly partner in Bradley & Blake
	EDWIN BLYDE & CO Sheffield 216 Rockingham St, 1872-1878 Charleston Works, 32 Lambert St, 1879-1901 Orange St, 1902-1910
	CHARLES BOARDMAN BOARDMAN & GLOSSOP BOARDMAN, GLOSSOP & CO Sheffield Charles Boardman started producing sterling silver wares (1844) but converted to electroplating in 1847 prior to enter in partnership with Glossop. Boardman & Glossop was active at 54 Pond St., Sheffield (1861-1871). The firm became Boardman, Glossop & Co in 1887 and was converted in 1895 into a limited liability company under the style Boardman, Glossop & Co Ltd (until 1927). The firm was described as silversmiths, electroplaters and Britannia metal-smiths at Clarence Works, Sheffield and 16 Ely Place, Holborn, London (later at 18 Bartlett's Building, Holborn).
	HENRY BOURNE Birmingham
	HENRY BOURNE & DANIEL J.O'NEILL Birmingham
	GEORGE BOWEN & SON Birmingham
	JONAS & GEORGE BOWEN Birmingham
	JONAS BOWEN & SONS Birmingham
	BRACHER & SYDENHAM Reading (possibly) Active at Minster Street, Reading and later at Queen Victoria Street, Reading. The firm used the trade mark ROYAL COUNTY PLATE
	THOMAS BRADBURY & SONS Sheffield The firm was established in Sheffield as cutlers in 1736. In mid 18th century it traded under the style of Matthew Fenton & Co. Later they became silversmiths and Sheffield platers and registered their mark at the opening of the Sheffield Assay Office. In 1795 the business was sold to Thomas Watson who was joined by Thomas Bradbury (I). The firm became Thomas Bradbury & Son (1831), Thomas Bradbury & Sons (1855), Thomas Bradbury & Sons Ltd (1905). Goodwill and dies acquired by Atkin Brother in 1943.
	BRAMWELL & CO Sheffield Succeeded in 1893 to the firm of Alfred R. Ecroyd. Active until 1927 at Fawcett St (1893-1896) and 15 Henry St, Sheffield (1897-1927). The firm used the trade marks RELIABLE and THE MASHER
	BRIDDON BROTHERS Sheffield Briddon Alfred & Frederick, from 1863-1910 at Victoria Plate Works, 7 Eyre Lane, Sheffield. They became & Co Ltd in 1905
	WILLIAM BRIGGS & CO Sheffield Active at Wentworth Plate Works, 35 Andrew St, Wickes (1875-1922). Became William Briggs & Co (Sheffield) Ltd in 1900
	S.BRIGHT & CO Sheffield active c. 1864
	ROGER BROADHEAD & CO Sheffield Late Broadhead & Atkin, Britannia Works, Love Street, Sheffield. In a 1858 advertisement the firm is described as manufacturers of Electro-Plated, British Plate, Britannia Metal Goods, Mounted Earthenware Jugs
	BROADHEAD & ATKIN Sheffield Active in North St. Works. A partnership of Roger Broadhead and Henry Atkin at Love St, Sheffield (1834-1853). In 1853 the partnership was dissoved and they formed respectively R. Broadhead & Co and Atkin Brothers.
	ABRAM BROOKBANK Sheffield At Malinda Works, Malinda St. Sheffield
	BROOKES & CROOKES Sheffield John Brookes and Thomas Crookes, active at Atlantic Works, St Philip's Road, Sheffield
	BROWETT, ASHBERRY & CO Birmingham
	GEORGE BRYAN & CO Birmingham (possibly) Active at Standard Works, Great Hampton Street, Birmingham (c.1905 - c. 1950)
	The successors of SAMUEL BUCKLEY & CO (OF LONDON & NEW YORK) LTD (possibly) London & New York Active in the 1910s as importer of gold and silver wares
	BURGESS BROTHERS Birmingham 43 Northampton Street, Birmingham
	ANTHONY BURTON (possibly) Sheffield
	BURTON & WATERS Birmingham c. 1921
	J.E. BUSHELL BIRMINGHAM Caroline Street, Birmingham
	GEORGE BUTLER & CO Sheffield The firm was founded in 1681 and in 1922 was active in its Trinity Works in Sheffield with Showroom at 62 Holborn Viaduct, London. George Butler & Co Ltd had a wide range of patterns of stainless, silver plate and sterling silver flatware.
	EDWIN JAMES BUXTON & CO Sheffield 1861-1863 Duke Place, St. Mary's Road, Sheffield. Formerly Buxton & Russel (1855-1861)

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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