A SMALL COLLECTION OF ANTIQUE SILVER
AND OBJECTS OF VERTU
THE WHAT IS? SILVER DICTIONARY

WOMEN SILVERSMITHS MAKER'S MARKS

The young woman began often her commercial and craft activity in the silversmith workshop of her father and continued there until marriage.
Her separate identity was then lost during a tacit partnership with her husband to re-emerge only on husband's death. The widow had then the opportunity to enter her own mark, succeeding to that of her husband active in the craft.
Anyway, no direct experience of crafting was requested to the widow to continue the silver business, as the success of the workshop was based on the presence of a team of skilled craftsmen, a stock of dies, a reliable shop manager and satisfied customers.
The mark of the widow was often set within a lozenge, the traditional heraldic device identifying a widow.
When the widow entered in partnership, often with the workshop manager, a new mark representing both partners was entered.

EB mark, Elizabeth Bainbridge, Dublin 1802
Elizabeth Bainbridge
watchmaker at 54 Bolton Street
EB - Dublin 1802 hallmark
PB over AB mark,Peter & Ann Bateman , London 1792
Ann Bateman (with Peter Bateman)
widow of Jonathan Bateman. In 1791 entered in partnership with his brother-in-law, Peter Bateman
PB over AB - London 1792 hallmark
PB over AB over WB mark, Peter Anne and William Bateman, London 1802
Ann Bateman (with Peter and William Bateman)
widow of Jonathan Bateman. In 1791 entered in partnership with his brother-in-law, Peter Bateman. Her son William entered in partnership in 1800
PB over AB over WB - London 1802 hallmark
HB in script mark, Hester Bateman, London 1786
Hester Bateman
widow of John Bateman in 1760. Two of her five sons were Peter and Jonathan Bateman (both silversmiths). Died 1794.
HB in script - London 1786 hallmark

A.B over G.B mark, Alice and George Burrows, London 1808
Alice Burrows (with George Burrows)
presumably widow of George Burrows I. In partnership with George Burrows II (1801). She presumably died or retired in 1817 when George Burrows II entered a separate mark
A.B over G.B - London 1808 hallmark
MC mark, Mary Chawner, London 1833
Mary Chawner
presumably widow of William Chawner II (dead in 1834)
MC - London 1833 hallmark
MC over GA into a quatrefoil mark, Mary Chawner & George W Adams, London 1840
Mary Chawner (with George W Adams)
Mary Chawner, presumably widow of William Chawner II (dead in 1834), entered in partnership in 1840 with son-in-law George William Adams, who had married her daughter Mary Ann in 1838
MC over GA into a quatrefoil - London 1840 hallmark


F.D mark, Frances Douglas, London 1838
Frances Douglas
she was the wife of Archibald, who died young (1837), and the mother of Archibald John ( AJD 1864) and Samuel - all of them were silversmiths
F.D - London 1853 hallmark
E E into twin circles in contact mark, Elizabeth Eaton, London 1849
Elizabeth Eaton
widow of William Eaton (dead in 1845). Later she entered in partnership with her son John Eaton
EE into twin circles in contact - London 1849 hallmark
RE over EB into a quatrefoil mark, Rebecca Emes & Edward Barnard , London 1812
Rebeccah Emes (with Edward Barnard)
presumably widow of John Emes (dead 1808). Firstly she opened a short-lived partnership with William Emes (possibly a brother of her husband and his executor). In the same year Rebeccah started a new partnership with Edward Barnard
RE over EB into a quatrefoil - London 1812 hallmark
EI mark, Elizabeth Jones, London 1792
Elizabeth Jones
probably widow of Robert Jones. 49 Bartholomew Close
EI - London 1792 hallmark

DL into an oval mark, Dorothy Langlands, Newcastle 1810
Dorothy Langlands
widow of John Langlands II (dead 1804)
DL into an oval - Newcastle 1810 hallmark
EM mark, Elizabeth Morley, London 1807
Elizabeth Morley
presumably widow of Thomas Morley (probably dead in 1794)
EM - London 1807 hallmark
M S into an oval mark, Mary Sumner, London 1808
Mary Sumner
presumably widow of William Sumner I (dead c. 1807)
M S into an oval - London 1808 hallmark
MS over ES mark, Mary & Elizabeth Sumner , London 1810 MS over ES mark, Mary & Elizabeth Sumner , London 1810
Mary & Elizabeth Sumner
presumably widow and daughter of William Sumner I. The first mark of their partnership was entered in 1809
M S into an oval - London 1810 hallmark
W & C into a rectangle mark, Wheeler & Cronin -Mary Wheeler & James Bartholomew Cronin, Birmingham 1843
Mary Wheeler (with James Bartholomew Cronin)
W & C into a rectangle - Birmingham 1843 hallmark
CT over I.W mark, Carden Terry & Jane Williams , Cork 1812 c.
Jane Williams (with Carden Terry)
Jane Terry was the widow of John Williams and the daughter of Carden Terry. She entered in partnership with her father in 1806 at the death of her husband
CT over I.W - Dublin 1812 hallmark


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