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.

	DANIEL & ARTER Birmingham Firm established by Thomas Henry Daniel and Thomas Richard Arter at the Globe Nevada Silver Works, Highgate Street, Birmingham. The firm was converted in 1920 into a limited liability company under the style Daniel & Arter Ltd. The business closed in the 1930s. Daniel & Arter used these trade marks: ALUMINUM SILVER, ARGENLINE, BENGAL SILVER, BRAZILIAN SILVER, BURMAROID, INDIAN SILVER, JAPANESE SILVER, LAXEY SILVER, NEVADA SILVER
	A.L. DAVENPORT Ltd Birmingham The firm was established by James Davenport circa 1927. In 1932 he purchased T. Wilkinson & Sons Ltd. After his death the factory was managed by his son Eric Davenport. The company ceased trading in 1971
	DAVENPORT & BRAY Sheffield
	Henry Clifford DAVIS Birmingham Active at 121 Vyse St, (c. 1910), Hartford St, (c. 1913) and 23 Warstone Lane, Birmingham (c.1933). Similar hallmarks for sterling silver items were entered in Birmingham and in Chester (1953) Assay Offices. After 1933 the style was changed to H.Clifford Davis Ltd.
	DAVIS-BLACKHAM & CO Birmingham c. 1911
	DAVIS & SONS Glasgow

	JAMES DEAKIN & SONS Sheffield The firm was established in 1865 by James Deakin at Sidney Works, Matilda Street, Sheffield. Before 1886 he was joined in partnership by his three sons, William Pitchford, John and Albert and the style of the firm was changed to James Deakin & Sons. In 1888 they opened London offices and showrooms at 48 Holborn Viaduct. Other branches were opened at Glasgow and Belfast. In 1897 the firm was converted to James Deakin & Sons Ltd. Trade marks used: AZTEC, PURITAN, REVLIS, SARBON, SHAW & FISHER, SIDNEY SILVER
	JOSEPH DEAKIN & SONS Sheffield 114 Green Lane (1855-1862); Spring St (1863-1885); 51 Bridge St (1886-1891).
	I.S. DEARDEN Sheffield
	DEYKIN & HARRISON Birmingham The partners were William R. Deykin and Walter A. Harrison. I believe that VENETIAN SILVER (see the 'gondola') was a trade mark used by the firm (but someone attributes this trade mark to Joseph Deakin & Sons or to Daniel & Arter)
	WILLIAM R. DEYKIN & SONS Birmingham
	JAMES DIXON & SONS Sheffield Business established in 1806 in Silver Street, Sheffield by James Dixon in partnership with a Mr. Smith. The firm became James Dixon & Son (1823), James Dixon & Sons (1835c.) and James Dixon & Sons Ltd in 1920. London showrooms were opened in London (1873), Sidney and Melbourne (1912). James Dixon & Sons history and information
	EDMUND DRAPER & CO Sheffield
	JOHN JAMES DURRANT London Business established by John James Durrant in 1850/1860 c. at 30 Cheapside. In 1897 hejoined in partnership with his son William James Durrant and the firm changed to John James Durrant & Son. In 1905, at the death of J.J. Durrant, the firm maintained the style Durrant & Son and was managed by W.J. Durrant

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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