ITALIAN SILVER MARKS AND HALLMARKS
GENOA (18TH AND 19TH CENTURIES)
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THE DIRECTORY OF 20th CENTURY ITALIAN SILVERSMITHS (SORTED BY PROVINCE)
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The " Guild of Silversmiths" (Corporazione dei Fraveghi) was active in Genoa since 1248 but the most ancient silver bearing the "torretta" mark is the mid 15th century pyx of Meglio's (Genoa) Parish.
"Torretta" is the definition adopted, possibly in the 19th century, by antique dealers and collector to identify the ancient mark of Genoese silver.
The shape of the "torretta" mark had relevant modification during the many centuries of its use and represents, in stylized form, the town of Genoa protected by its "castrum" (castle: better identifiable in ancient Genoese gold coins, the "doppia").
After French invasion of Genoa, French silver marks were introduced in 1805, replaced, after Napoleon's fall, by Kingdom of Sardinia marks in 1815.
Anyway, "Torretta" continued to be used by Genoa Assay Office during the French domination and also after the annexing to the Kingdom of Sardinia until 1824.
After 1824 the "Eagle" (950/1000 fineness mark of Kingdom of Sardinia) or the "Cross of St. Maurice and Lazarus" (800/1000 fineness mark) and the "dolphin" (mark of Genoa Assay Office) continued to be used until the adoption of Kingdom of Italy marks in 1872.


Genoa silver hallmark: 'torretta' 1722 Genoa silver hallmark: 'torretta' 1726 Genoa silver hallmark: 'torretta' 1732 Genoa silver hallmark: 'torretta' 1766
Torretta mark 1722
Torretta mark 1726
Torretta mark 1732
Torretta mark 1766

Genoa French Département mark Kingdom of Sardinia 950/1000 silver hallmark Kingdom of Sardinia 950/1000 silver hallmark Genoa Assay Office silver hallmark
Genoa French
Département mark
1805/1808
Kingdom of Sardinia
950/1000 silver mark
1824/1872
Kingdom of Sardinia
800/1000 silver mark
1824/1872
Kingdom of Sardinia
Genoa Assay Office silver mark
1824/1872

BASIC BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR GENOA SILVER AND ITS MARKS

 Argenti Italiani del Settecento, V.Donaver-R.Dabbene, Edizioni Libreria Malavasi, Milano, 2000
Argenti Italiani dell'Ottocento, vol. 1, V.Donaver-R.Dabbene, Edizioni Libreria Malavasi, Milano, 2001
Argenti Sabaudi Genova, Farida Simonetti, SAGEP Editrice, Genova, 1993,
I Marchi dell'Argenteria Italiana, Ugo Donati, De Agostini, Novara, 1993,
Argenti Genovesi, Gianna Roccatagliata, De Ferrari & Devega, Genova, 2002,
L'Argenteria Genovese del Settecento, Franco Boggero-Farida Simonetti, Umberto Allemandi & C., Torino, 2007,
Argenti Genovesi La Torretta, Gianna Roccatagliata, Tormena Editore, 1992,


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