ENGLISH ELECTROPLATE SILVER

MARKS AND HALLMARKS OF SHEFFIELD AND BIRMINGHAM SILVER PLATE MAKERS
WITH THE ADDITION OF OTHER BRITISH, SCOTTISH AND IRISH MANUFACTURERS



created by Giorgio B. owner of
www.silvercollection.it ©  HOME
English home page
versione italiana page d'accueil en francais

This is a page of A Small Collection of Antique Silver and Objects of vertu, a 1000 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 ...
SITE MAP - HOME PAGE

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 on silver, or EPBM for electroplated Britannia metal.

THE DIRECTORY OF BRITISH ELECTROPLATED SILVER MAKERS: Fi-Fz

SILVERPLATE MANUFACTURERS: MARKS' IMAGE & HISTORY
Aa/Az    Ba/Bd    Be/Bn    Bo/Bz    Ca/Cn    Co/Cz    Da/Dh    Di/Dz    Ea/Eo    Ep/Ez    Fa/Fh    Fi/Fz    Ga/Gn    Go/Gz    Ha/Hh    Hi/Hz    Ia/Jz    Ka/Kz    La/Lz    Ma/Maq    Mar/Mz    Na/Nz    Oa/Oz    Pa/Pg    Ph/Pz    Qa/Rz    Sa/Sh    Si/Sz    Ta/Uz    Va/Vz    Wa/Wh    Wi/Wz    Ya/Yz    Za/Zz    unk.#1    unk.#2    unk.#3    unk.#4   

ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF SILVERPLATE MARKS
AA/AZ    BA/BZ    CA/CZ    DA/DZ    EA/EZ    FA/FZ    GA/GZ    HA/HZ    IA/IZ    JA/JM    JN/KZ    LA/LZ    MA/OZ    PA/QZ    RA/RZ    SA/SZ    TA/UZ    VA/VZ    WA/ZZ   

|THE STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO SILVERPLATE MARKS|    |UK FIGURAL TRADE MARKS|    |UK TRADE NAME DIRECTORY|    |ALPHABETIC SYMBOLS|    |SILVERPLATE PSEUDO HALLMARKS|    |DATING UK PATENT MARKS|    |OLD SHEFFIELD PLATE|    |ELKINGTON DATE LETTERS|    |WALKER & HALL DATE LETTERS|    |MAPPIN & WEBB DATE LETTERS|    |EPNS - EPBM|    |BRITANNIA METAL|    |UNIDENTIFIED SILVERPLATE MARKS|
Alfred Field & Co, Sheffield (dated 1908) Alfred Field & Co, Sheffield (dated 1908) Alfred Field & Co, Sheffield
ALFRED FIELD & CO
Birmingham & Sheffield
Managed by Harry Field (son of Alfred Field, d.1884). Active at Continental Works, 23 Westfield Terrace (1889-1913), Ark Works, Trafalgar Street (c.1915), Cambridge Street (1928) and Eyre Street (1931-1933). In 1890 they bought Edward Gem & Co, Sheffield.

Alfred Field & Co, Sheffield: figural trademark
Henry Fielding, Birmingham Henry Fielding & Son, Birmingham Henry Fielding & Son, Birmingham Henry Fielding & Son,  Silvene trademark, Birmingham Henry Fielding & Son, Birmingham Henry Fielding & Son, Birmingham Henry Fielding & Son, Birmingham
HENRY FIELDING
HENRY FIELDING & SON
Birmingham
Founded in 1830. Active at Snape Street Works, Birmingham with London Warehouse at 103 Hatton Garden. Other addresses at 123 Livery Street and 43 Gt.Hampton St, Birmingham. The firm used the trade mark
SILVENE. The attribution of the first mark (five symbols and HF) is hypothetical.
Various other marks are known with similar sets of symbols but different initials. Likely they have the same source, but only that of Thomas Wilkinson & Co (TW and "pelican") can be identified with certainty. All other attributions are hypotheticals

set of symbols and ER mark set of symbols and HJ mark set of symbols and TW mark set of symbols and RH mark
Firmin & Sons Ltd - London Firmin & Sons Ltd - London Firmin & Sons Ltd - London
FIRMIN & SONS LTD
London
Button manufacturer, active at Warwick St, Regent St and Strand, London
Finnigans Ltd - Manchester Finnigans Ltd - Manchester
FINNIGANS LTD
Manchester
Firm founded by Benjamin Finnigans at 16 Market Street Manchester in 1875. The firm became Ltd in 1901 and had various addresses in Manchester, Salford, London (New Bond Street) and Liverpool




Harrison Fisher - Sheffield (possibly) Harrison Fisher & Co - Sheffield: TRAFALGAR trademark Harrison Fisher - Sheffield: EVERBRITE trademark Harrison Fisher & Co - Sheffield Harrison Fisher & Co - Sheffield Harrison Fisher & Co - Sheffield Harrison Fisher & Co Sheffield Harrison Fisher & Co Sheffield: MADRAS SILVER trademark Harrison Fisher & Co Sheffield: HOLMES SILVER trademark Harrison Fisher & Co Ltd - Sheffield Harrison Fisher & Co Ltd - Sheffield Harrison Fisher - Sheffield Harrison Fisher & Co Sheffield Harrison Fisher & Co Sheffield Harrison Fisher - Sheffield Harrison Fisher & Co - Sheffield Harrison Fisher & Co Sheffield Harrison Fisher - Sheffield Harrison Fisher & Co Sheffield Harrison Fisher & Co - Sheffield: PELHAM PLATE trademark Harrison Fisher - Sheffield
HARRISON FISHER
HARRISON FISHER & CO
HARRISON FISHER & CO LTD
Sheffield
Active at 70 Trafalgar St. (1897-1899) and Surrey Lane, Wellington St and 9 Eyre Lane (1900-1925), Sheffield. Became Harrison Fisher & Co in 1900. The firm ceased the manufacture of electroplated wares in 1925 but continued the trade. The firm used the trade marks
EVERBRITE, HOLMES SILVER, MADRAS SILVER, PELHAM PLATE and TRAFALGAR
CW Fletcher & Sons Sheffield CW Fletcher & Sons: Arundel Platem  trademark - Sheffield CW Fletcher & Sons - Sheffield CW Fletcher & Sons - Sheffield CW Fletcher & Sons Arundel Plate Sheffield
CW FLETCHER & SONS
CW FLETCHER & SONS LTD
Sheffield
Established in 1891 by Charles William Fletcher. Manufacturing Silversmiths and Cutlers, etc. at Mortimer Works, Leadmill Street, Sheffield, Sterling Works, 172 Bramwell Lane and 76 Arundel St., Sheffield. Active also at 103 Vyse Street, Birmingham and Marshall and Beak Streets, London. Converted into a limited liability company in c.1907 when they acquired the London silversmiths, Brewis & Co. Out of business c. 1969.The firm used the trade mark
ARUNDEL PLATE
an old advertisement of CW Fletcher & Sons Arundel Plate Sheffield
Ford & Medley - Sheffield
FORD & MEDLEY
FORD & MEDLEY LTD
Sheffield
Manufacturer of table cutlery, electro-plate and razors. Founded in 1879 by Joseph and Thomas Medley. In 1903 the partners were Albert and Thomas Medley. The business was converted into a limited liability commpany in 1910. In c. 1920 the firm was active at Emu Works in Eyre Street, with Albert as managing director. Out of business in the early 1930's.
Richard Forster - Sheffield (possibly)
FORSTER RICHARD
Sheffield (possibly)
Pond Street, c. 1780
Fortnum & Mason - London
FORTNUM & MASON
London
A retail business founded by Hugh Mason in 1707 supplying foods and related services




Oreste Franzi & Co - London
ORESTE FRANZI & CO
London - possibly
The English branch of the Italian firm Oreste Franzi Soc.An. (possibly founded in 1864) active in Via Manzoni 15, Milano as retailer silversmith (from a 1924 Directory). The firm is recorded at 5 Castle Street, Falcon Square London. Oreste Franzi & Co entered a sterling silver mark in Birmingham Assay Office (c. 1902). In 1908 Herbert Frederick Thorne (Manager) entered a sterling silver mark in Chester Assay Office (maker's trade: merchant). A similar mark was entered in London Assay Office in 1911 (as silver workers). In 1913 the firm was listed as fancy leather goods manufacturers. In 1916 the firm was listed at the same London address as Oreste Franzi & Co (London) Ltd.
Israel Freeman & Son - Sheffield and New York Israel Freeman & Son - Sheffield and New York Israel Freeman & Son - Sheffield and New York Israel Freeman & Son Ltd- Sheffield and New York
ISRAEL FREEMAN & SON LTD
Sheffield
Working in London at the beginning of the 20th century and moving to New York City in the 1920s. The company was still in business in NYC in 2006 and being run by a mother/daughter team. According to their website (now closed), the mother/daughter are descendants of Isaac Freeman and, at the time, were still selling small silver items (information courtesy Michael Asbill)




John Fullerton - Glasgow
JOHN FULLERTON
Glasgow
Furber & Son, Cheltenham Furber & Son, Cheltenham F&S unidentified Furber & Son, Cheltenham
THOMAS FURBER
FURBER & SON
FURBER, SON & ELLIS
Cheltenham
Directories register two Thomas Furber and two Thomas Furber & Son active in Cheltenham as Goldsmiths, Silversmiths, Jewellers, Electroplaters, Watch and Clock makers. The following information refers to the whole Furber family business.
Thomas Furber (c.1799-c.1874), silversmith/jeweller, is quoted at 380 High Street (1830) and 3 Montpellier Exange (1852). Thomas Furber & Son (the son was another Thomas, c.1831-1920) continued the activity at Montpellier Exange (1859). Thomas Furber (the son) was active at 8 Northwick ter, Suffolk Road and 3 Montpellier Exange Terrace (1868).
Furber, Son & Ellis were active at Queen's Circus from c. 1891 to 1914. This was probably the partnership of Thomas Furber (b.1831), his son (representing the third generation of the Furber family in the business) and Christopher Ellis. The name was reverted to Furber & Son in 1914. Furber & Son was succeded by T.H.Richards & G.Friend
The firm used the trade marks IMPERIAL PLATE and EXTRA




A.E. Furniss - Sheffield A.E. Furniss - Sheffield A.E. Furniss - Sheffield A.E. Furniss - Sheffield A.E. Furniss - Sheffield A.E. Furniss - Sheffield A.E. Furniss - Sheffield A.E. Furniss & Sons- Sheffield Arthur E. Furniss - Sheffield A.E. Furniss & Sons- Sheffield
ARTHUR E. FURNISS
A. E. FURNISS & SONS
A. E. FURNISS, SON & PERCHARDE LTD
Sheffield
The firm was founded by Arthur Edward Furniss. Active at 12 Holly St (1858-1862), 32 Rockingham St (1863-1873), Eagle Place, 27 Carver St (1874-1894), 62 Broad Lane and 13 Garden St (1895-1910). The firm changed to A.E. Furniss & Sons in 1910. In 1928 entered in partnership with Percharde Ltd under the style A.E. Furniss, Son & Percharde Ltd (1928-1934). This business was wound up voluntarily on October 15, 1962 and Leopold Ettling, F.C.A., of 28 Kenwood Park Road, Sheffield 7 was appointed liquidator

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, Austrian Silver, Brazilian Silver, Buxbridge, Electrum, Encore, Exquisite, Insignia Plate, Nevada Silver, Norwegian Silver, Pelican Silver, Potosi Silver, Silverite, Sonora Silver, Spur Silver, Stainless Nickel, Stainless Nickel Silver, Venetian Silver, W.M White Metal,....





WORLDWIDE DIRECTORY OF SILVERPLATE MANUFACTURERS: HISTORY & MARKS
Rogers & Bro. - Waterbury CT hallmarkUSA & Canada     Mappin & Webb hallmarkWalker & Hall hallmarkUK Electroplate     Devices of Old Sheffiel PlateOld Sheffield Plate     Herrmann factory silver plate markContinental/Europe

BRITISH TOWN MARKS AND DATE LETTERS

STERLING SILVER OF ENGLAND, SCOTLAND AND IRELAND
ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF MAKER'S MARKS
AA/AE    AF/AZ    BA/BZ    CA/CH    CI/CZ    DA/DZ    EA/EZ    FA/FZ    GA/GZ    HA/HG    HH/HZ    IA/IG    IH/IZ    JA/JC    JD/JI    JJ/JP    JQ/JS    JT/JZ    KA/LZ    MA/MZ    NA/PA    PB/PZ    QA/RJ    RK/RZ    SA/SG    SH/SZ    TA/TH    TI/TZ    UA/WB    WC/WF    WG/WL    WM/WS    WT/ZZ   

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


These pages were useful? leave your LIKE on facebookgo to facebook page

work in progress on this page - your help, corrections and suggestions will be greatly appreciated -