ENGLISH ELECTROPLATE SILVER
MARKS AND HALLMARKS OF SHEFFIELD AND BIRMINGHAM SILVER PLATE MAKERS
WITH THE ADDITION OF OTHER BRITISH, SCOTTISH AND IRISH MANUFACTURERS |
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),
history, oddities ...
SITE MAP - HOME PAGE
|
The two common forms of plated silver are Sheffield plate and silverplate/electroplate.
Sheffield Plate is a cheaper substitute for sterling, produced by fusing sheets of silver to the top and
bottom of a sheet of copper or base metal. This 'silver sandwich' was then worked into finished pieces. At
first it was only put on one side and later was on top and bottom.
Modern electroplating was invented by Italian chemist Luigi V. Brugnatelli in 1805. Brugnatelli used his
colleague Alessandro Volta's invention of five years earlier, the voltaic pile, to facilitate the first
electrodeposition. Unfortunately, Brugnatelli's inventions were repressed by the French Academy of Sciences
and did not become used in general industry for the following thirty years.
Silver plate or electroplate is formed when a thin layer of pure or sterling silver is deposited
electrolytically on the surface of a base metal.
By 1839, scientists in Britain and Russia had independently devised metal deposition processes similar to
Brugnatelli's for the copper electroplating of printing press plates.
Soon after, John Wright of Birmingham, England, discovered that potassium cyanide was a suitable
electrolyte for gold and silver electroplating.
Wright's associates, George Elkington and Henry Elkington were awarded the first patents for electroplating
in 1840. These two then founded the electroplating industry in Birmingham England from where it spread
around the world.
Common base metals include copper, brass, nickel
silver - an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel - and Britannia metal - a tin alloy with 5-10% antimony.
Electroplated materials are often stamped EPNS for electroplated nickel on silver, or EPBM for electroplated Britannia metal.
THE DIRECTORY OF BRITISH ELECTROPLATED SILVER MAKERS: Be-Bn |
SILVERPLATE MANUFACTURERS: MARKS' IMAGE & HISTORY |
ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF SILVERPLATE MARKS |
BENNETT (1907) LTD London
The wholesale business J.B. Bennett & Co Ltd was founded in London in 1907 by John Baker Bennett.
In 1908 the firm, described as manufacturing jewellers, changed its name to Bennett (1907) Ltd but was
forced into voluntary liquidation in 1909 and the goodwill and the stock-in-trade were acquired by
Fredericks Ltd. A sterling silver hallmark (SIR J.B.Ltd) was entered in c. 1932 in the London Assay
Office by Sir John Bennett Ltd. Presumably the trade mark "Sir John Bennett" was used by retailer shops
in the UK and, possibly, in Sydney (Australia). |
BENNETT & HERON BENNETT & HERON LTD Sheffield
The partnership between Emmanuel Heron and Jack Bennett was active at 106 Mary Street, Sheffield as Cutlers and Silversmiths under the style Bennett & Heron. The partnership was dissolved on April 1, 1927 |
S.S. & J.W. BENSON (BENSON BROTHERS) J.W. BENSON J.W. BENSON LTD London
The firm was active 1847-1855 as Benson Brothers (Samuel S. & James William Benson), J.W. Benson (1855-1897) and J.W. Benson Ltd from 1897. In late 20th century the firm was a subsidiary of Mappin & Webb Ltd. In 1889 J.W. Benson purchased Hunt & Roskell. |
WILLIAM ARTHUR SMITH BENSON
a leader of the British Arts and Crafts movement known also as W.A.S. Benson (1854-1924). Founding member the Art Workers' Guild in 1884 |
JAMES BERESFORD & CO Birmingham
Active at Eaglie Works, 42 Summer Rw/ 31 Charlotte Str./ 36 Ludgate Hill, Birmingham. c. 1861-1896. The firm used the trade mark BERESFORD PLATE |
BIDDLE & COLLINWOOD Birmingham
c. 1875 (a similar mark was used by Brookes & Crookes |
JOHN BIGGIN JOHN BIGGIN & CO LTD Sheffield
Specialised in measures and handles at 12 Mulberry St, Sheffield.
In 1911 John Biggin Ltd (Silver & German Silver Handle, Cap and Ferrule Manufacturers) was active at
10 Milk Street & 23 Sycamore Street.
The firm used the trade mark APEX |
DAVID BINGHAM & SON (possibly)
no information found |
BINGHAM AND OGDEN Sheffield
active c. 1864 as merchants and manufacturers at Devonport Works, 188 Rockingham Street, Sheffield |
BINGLEY WORRELL & CO Sheffield
Bingley Worrell & Co (George Bower Bingley) active 1881 - 1886 at Imperial works in Holly Street, Sheffield |
BIRD & BLAKE BIRD & CO Sheffield
Bird & Blake was the partnership opened in 1892 at Imperial silver works, 85 Edward Street, by Edward Bird (1870-1916) and John Harold Blake. They used the DUCHESS mark. In 1904 the partnership was dissolved and Bird continued the activity in Edward Street manufacturing under the name Bird & Co. In 1912, in partnership with G.F. Rowe, Bird registered Bird & Co (Sheffield) Ltd active at Imperial Silver Works, St Thomas Street. The firm ceased the activity in 1916 at the death of Edward Bird. Later, the "Duchess" mark was used by Mottershaw & Rowe Ltd. |
BIRMINGHAM GUILD OF HANDICRAFTS LTD Birmingham
Formed in 1895 by Arthur Dixon and about 20 craftsman with the aim to reinstate handcraftmanship in Birmingham. The Guild was closely associated with the city's trade schools. The Guild amalgamated in 1910 with E & R. Gittings and merged in 1919 c. with Hart, Son, Peard & Co Ld (founded 1842: architectural metalworkers based in London and Birmingham, most associated with ecclesiastical works). |
E.P.N.S. (Electroplated Nickel Silver) and EPBM (Electroplated Britannia Metal) are the most
common names attributed to silver plate items. But many other names are used for silver plate:
EPWM - Electroplate on White Metal, EPC - Electroplate on Copper, Argentium, Argentine Plate, Argentum,
Ascetic, Austrian Silver, Brazilian Silver, Buxbridge, Electrum, Encore, Exquisite,
Insignia Plate, Nevada Silver, Norwegian Silver, Pelican Silver, Potosi Silver,
Silverite, Sonora Silver, Spur Silver, Stainless Nickel, Stainless Nickel Silver, Venetian Silver, W.M White Metal,....
|
WORLDWIDE DIRECTORY OF SILVERPLATE MANUFACTURERS: HISTORY & MARKS |
BRITISH TOWN MARKS AND DATE LETTERS |
STERLING SILVER OF ENGLAND, SCOTLAND AND IRELAND ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF MAKER'S MARKS |

www.silvercollection.it |
This is a page of 'The What is? Silver Dictionary' of A Small Collection of
Antique Silver and Objects of vertu, a 1500 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),
history, oddities ...
HOME -
SITE MAP -
SILVER DICTIONARY -
COOKIES CONSENT AND PRIVACY |
These pages were useful? leave your LIKE on
facebook
|
work in progress on this page - your help, corrections and suggestions will be greatly appreciated -
|