ENGLISH ELECTROPLATE SILVER MARKS AND HALLMARKS OF SHEFFIELD AND BIRMINGHAM SILVER PLATE MAKERS

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.

	H PHILLIPS Aldershot, Hampshire
	PINDER BROTHERS PINDER BROS LTD Sheffield Active at 142 Rockingham St (1885-1892), 48 Garden St (1892-1940), Sheaf Plate Works, Arundel St (1940-1950), 87 London Rd (from 1950). The firm was converted into a "Ltd" in 1923. The business of silversmiths and electro-platers was opened in 1877 by the brothers Thomas Griffith Pinder and Charles Edward Pinder (Court 2, Headford Street and at 2 Fitzwilliam Lane in 1882). They were the sons of George William Pinder (journeyman or craftsman who worked for several firms) and Ellen Nodder (daughter of John Nodder, a metal smith of Furnace Hill). The firm used the trade mark ACADEM PLATE
	JAMES PINDER & CO Sheffield Active at Colonial Plate Works, 12-14 Carver St, Sheffield (1877-1894)
	H.V. PITHEY & CO London Harold Vyvyan Pithey trading as H.V. Pithey & Co established his business c. 1903 at 26 Great Pulteney St, Soho, London. In 1912 a branch was opened at 36 Northampton St, Birmingham under the style Jarvis & Co. The business was involved in bankruptcy proceedings in c.1923
	HENRY HODSON PLANTE Birmingham H.H. Plante & Co was established in 1857 at 55 Frederick St, Birmingham. The firm was registered in 1897. There would be appear some connection between Henry Hodson Plante and: Hirons, Plante & Bourne (until 1878), Hirons, Plante & Co (until 1882), Harwood, Plante & Harrison (until 1886), Harwood & Plante (until 1892). Henry Hodson Plante was also partner in Plante & Bannister (1906-1907) and H.H. Plante (1907- 1980c.)
	A E POSTON & CO LTD Birmingham Active c. 1930-1960. The firm used the trade mark LONSDALE PLATE
	THE POTOSI SILVER CO Birmingham Potosi Silver Co (manufacturers of electro-plated wares) owned, from 1878, by Levi & Salaman. In 1885 was opened a very large factory in Newhall street, known as the Potosi Works. The "Eagle" mark of The Potosi Silver Co was seen on silver plate bearing the marks of Barker Brothers and William Adams Inc.
	JOHN HENRY POTTER Sheffield John Henry Potter, 124 Rockingam St., 1884-1893. Rockingam Works, 65-71 Division St. 1893-1940. The firm became J.P. Potter & Sons Ltd in 1922. The firm used the trade mark SILVA
	ARTHUR PRICE ARTHUR PRICE & CO ARTHUR PRICE & CO LTD Sheffield The firm was established by Arthur Price in Aston, near Birmingham, on 3rd October 1902. Arthur Price remains a family run business today, now managed by Simon Price. The firm benefits of two Royal Warrants - by Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Prince Of Wales. The firm used the trade marks ARDEN PLATE and STEPHENSON PLATE
	PRIESTLEY & MOORE LTD Sheffield Cutlers and silversmiths in Sheffield. The firm used the trade mark VALIANT PLATE
	THOMAS PRIME PRIME & SON Birmingham Firm established in 1818 by Thomas Prime. In 1849 the firm advertised that "...Electro Deposition of Silver, Gold, &c. by the Agency of Magnetic Machinery was brought to practical perfection by him..." on White Metal, on Steel and in Superior German Silver. The firm was active at the Patent Magneto Plate Works, 18 and 19 Northwood Street, Birmingham with other premises at 49 Salisbury Square, Fleet Street, London. In 1851 he was joined by his son Thomas Teritus Prime trading as Prime & Son
	ROBERT PRINGLE ROBERT PRINGLE & CO ROBERT PRINGLE & SONS London Established by Robert Pringle(I) in 1835, a jeweller who had moved to London from Perth in 1820.Later the corcern was passed to his son Robert Pringle (II) and the firm moved to Wilderness Row, Clerkenwell. In 1881 extensive additions and alterations were made to the premises, subsequently known as Wilderness Works. The firm became Robert Pringle & Co in 1882, Robert Pringle & Sons in 1899 and Robert Pringle & Sons (London) Ltd in 1931.
	PRYOR TYZACK & CO (possibly) Sheffield Active at Granville St (1860-1861), 80 Division St (1862-1863). In 1863 the firm changed to Beame Pryor & Tyzack

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,....