HALLMARKS OF ENGLISH SILVER
MAKER'S MARK IDENTIFICATION

WITH THE ADDITION OF SCOTTISH, IRISH, CHANNEL ISLANDS AND COLONIES SILVERMITHS
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BRITISH SILVERSMITHS - ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF MARKS: WN - WR
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
(click on the photo to enlarge image)
WN mark, William Nolan, Dublin 1822 WN mark, William Nolan, Dublin 1822
WN
William Nolan
Dublin 1822 hallmark
WN mark, William Nowill, Sheffield 1835
WN
William Nowill
in partnership with John Nowill
Sheffield 1835 hallmark
WN into an oval mark, William Neal, London 1859
WN into an oval
William Neal
London 1859 hallmark
W.N mark, William Needham, Sheffield 1906
W.N
William Needham
Sheffield 1906 hallmark
W.N mark, William Neale or William Neale & Sons, Chester 1903 W.N mark, William Neale or William Neale & Sons, Birmingham 1911
W.N
William Neale or William Neale & Sons,
Chester 1903 hallmark


Birmingham 1911 hallmark
W.N over LTD into a shield mark, William Neale & Sons Ltd, Birmingham 1933
W.N over LTD into a shield
William Neale & Sons Ltd
Birmingham 1933 hallmark
Firm established by William Neale in 1850 in Birmingham. Later the firm became William Neale & Sons as a partnership of William Neale senior, William Neale Junior and Arthur Neale, building new premises at 29 Warstone Lane, Birmingham (1896). In 1905 the firm was converted into a limited liability company under the style of William Neale & Sons Ltd moving in 1910 at 34 Cox Street, St. Paul's Square, Birmingham. In 1941 the firm was absorbed by Suckling Ltd.
WP into a heart mark, William Peaston, London 1749
WP into a heart
William Peaston,
entered 1746
London 1749 hallmark
WP mark, William Pugh, Birmingham 1811
WP
William Pugh,
Birmingham 1811 hallmark
WP into an oval mark, William Pitts, London 1786
WP into an oval
William Pitts,
entered 1781
London 1786 hallmark
WP into an oval mark, William Scott Peat or William Pirrie, Edinburgh 1826
WP into an oval
William Scott Peat or William Pirrie,
Edinburgh 1826 hallmark
WP mark, William Scott Peat or William Pirrie, Edinburgh 1828
WP
William Scott Peat or William Pirrie,
William Scott Peat apprentice of James Douglas in 1802. Freeman in 1813. Held as apprentice David Pollock (freeman in 1847)
Edinburgh 1828 hallmark
WPC mark, William & Patrick Cunningham, Edinburgh 1801
WPC
William & Patrick Cunningham,
William Cunningham was apprentice of Patrick Robertson in 1757. Freeman in 1776. Held as apprentices John Swinton Simpson (freeman in 1788), Simon Cunningham (freeman in 1800), Robert Hamilton active in Calcutta (freeman in 1787), William Dick (freeman in 1807) and Daniel Walker (freeman in 1815)

Patrick Cunningham was apprentice of Patrick Robertson in 1758. Freeman in 1775. Held as apprentices William Cunningham (freeman in 1802), Patrick Cunningham (freeman in 1808), John Cunningham (freeman in 1798), James McDonald (freeman in 1815)
Edinburgh 1801 hallmark
WRS into two rounded outlines mark, William Rawlings Sobey, Exeter 1840
WRS into two rounded outlines
William Rawlings Sobey,
Exeter 1840 hallmark
W.R.S mark, William Rawlings Sobey, Exeter 1835
W.R.S into trilobate outline
William Rawlings Sobey,
Exeter 1835 hallmark
W.R mark, Birmingham 1855, Birmingham 1855 W.R mark, Birmingham 1855, Birmingham 1855
W.R
William Ryland (possibly),
Birmingham 1855 hallmark
HALLMARKS OF ENGLISH SILVER - MAKER'S MARK IDENTIFICATION
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
CAPE SILVERSMITHS A - C D - I J - M N - T U - Z
CHANNEL ISLANDS SILVERSMITHS A - F G - H I - P Q - Z unidentified
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
BRITISH TOWN MARKS AND DATE LETTERS
London town marks Birmingham town marks Dublin town marks Edinburgh town marks Sheffield town marks Exeter town marks
London Birmingham Dublin Edinburgh Sheffield Chester
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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