HALLMARKS OF ENGLISH SILVER MAKER'S MARK IDENTIFICATION
WITH THE ADDITION OF SCOTTISH, IRISH, CHANNEL ISLANDS AND COLONIES SILVERMITHS
|
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, WMF, Reed & Barton, Mappin & Webb, Bateman Family),
history, oddities ...
SITE MAP -
HOME PAGE
|
| BRITISH SILVERSMITHS - ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF MARKS: G& - GB |
(click on the photo to enlarge image)
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
G&S Co over Ltd into a trefoil shape Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Company, London 1930 hallmark
A large business of retail jewellers and silversmiths established in 1880 at 112 Regent Street, London. The original partners were William Gibson and John Lawrence Langman.
In 1898 the firm converted into a limited liablity company under the style Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co Ltd. The firm was amalgamated in 1952
in Garrard & Co Ltd. |
 |
|
 |
GB George Bedingham George Bedingham was firstly quoted in the partnership of George Bedingham and James Edgar Hay under the style Bedingham & Hay at Paternoster House. The partnership was dissolved in 1899 and George Bedingham continued business in his own name.
Further mentions of the firm were found in a 1907 illustrated advertising of miniature coach and horses and two decorative boxes, one with portraits of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, the other with dancing peasants in the manner of Tenier.... and in 1920 when it was quoted as G. Bedingham & Co, silversmiths, cutlers, etc.
George Bedingham registered marks at the London Assay Office in 1899 (two marks), 1901, 1902, 1905 and 1910 (two marks)
(from John Culme's Directory of London Silversmiths)- courtesy Les Salvage/ASCAS London import mark 1905 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
G.B.Ld into a double pointed oval George Butler & Co
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 Sheffield 1916 hallmark |
 |
|
 |
|
|
HALLMARKS OF ENGLISH SILVER -
MAKER'S MARK IDENTIFICATION
|
The hallmarking of British silver is based on a combination of marks that makes possible the
identification of the origin and the age of each piece.
The marks are:
Town mark, corresponding to the mark of the assay office that has verified the piece
Lion's passant guardant or Britannia or lion's head erased certifiying the silver's quality
Maker's mark, identifying the silversmith presenting the piece to the assay office
Date letter, in cycles of twenty letters of the alphabet of different shape identifies the year in which
the piece was verified by the assay office
A further mark was used in the period 1784 - 1890:
Sovereign head ('duty mark'), certifying the payment of duty
work in progress on this page - your help, corrections and suggestions will be greatly appreciated -
|