HALLMARKS OF ENGLISH AND BRITISH SILVER
MAKER'S MARK IDENTIFICATION

THE DIRECTORY OF ENGLISH, SCOTTISH, IRISH, CHANNEL ISLANDS AND COLONIES SILVERMITHS
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BRITISH SILVERSMITHS - ILLUSTRATED LISTING OF MAKER'S AND SPONSOR'S MARKS: GO
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William Gould
Son of James Gould, apprenticed to his brother James Gould in 1724. Free 1733. Specialized in the production of candlesticks
London mark entered 1734
G of H mark, George Henry Hart - 'Guild of Handicraft', London 1942
G of H
George Henry Hart - 'Guild of Handicraft',
George Henry Hart (1882-1973) was one of the silversmiths working with Charles Ashbee and the original Guild of Handicraft. In 1912 he took over the workshops obtaining his success in the 1926 and 1927 Goldsmith's Company competitions. He was made a Freeman in 1929 and was joined in 1930 by his son, Henry. Now George Hart's grandson, David Hart, continues the work of the Guild of Handicraft.
London 1942 hallmark
STERLING SILVER OF ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, IRELAND, CHANNEL ISLANDS AND COLONIES
ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF
BRITISH MAKER'S MARKS		 AA
AE		 AF
AZ		 BA
BZ		 CA
CH		 CK
CZ		 DA
DZ		 EA
EZ		 FA
FZ		 GA
GZ		 HA
HG		 HH
HZ		 IA
IG		 IH
IZ		 JA
JC		 JD
JH		 JJ
JP		 JQ
JS
ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF
BRITISH MAKER'S MARKS		 JT
JZ		 KA
LZ		 MA
MZ		 NA
PA		 PB
PZ		 QA
RH		 RK
RZ		 SA
SG		 SH
SZ		 TA
TH		 TI
TZ		 UA
WB		 WC
WF		 WG
WL		 WM
WS		 WT
ZZ
ALPHABETICAL LISTING
OF SILVERSMITHS' NAMES		 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
   
THE DIRECTORY OF SCOTTISH PROVINCIAL SILVER
ABERDEEN   ARBROATH    BALLATER    BANFF    CANONGATE    CUPAR    DUMFRIES    DUNDEE    ELGIN    ELLON    FOCHABERS    FORRES    GREENOCK    INVERNESS    MONTROSE    OBAN    PAISLEY    PERTH    PETERHEAD    TAIN    WICK
THE DIRECTORY OF CAPE SILVERSMITHS A - C D - I J - M N - T U - Z
THE DIRECTORY OF CHANNEL ISLANDS SILVERSMITHS A - F G - H I - P Q - Z unidentified makers
CANADA SILVERSMITHS A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AUSTRALIAN SILVERSMITHS A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z NOT IDENTIFIED

BRITISH TOWN MARKS AND DATE LETTERS

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
London town mark Sheffield town mark Birmingham town mark Newcastle town mark Dublin town mark Edimburgh town mark Glasgow town mark

Lion's passant guardant or Britannia or lion's head erased certifiying the silver's quality
lion passant: 1598-1820 lion passant: after 1820 Britannia and lion's head erased: from 1697 to 1718
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
London date letter 'a'
A further mark was used in the period 1784 - 1890:
Sovereign head ('duty mark'), certifying the payment of duty
Sovereign head: duty mark from 1784 to 1890
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