Silver plate hallmark identification wizard

Reading silver hallmarks can tell you a lot about your silver item, including the purity, where it was assayed, in whose factory it was produced, and the year in which the item was assayed. This helpful guide will help you get started with reading your hallmarks.

See also the definitions page in this guide for additional information on hallmark components. Note at centre of the image at right the four elements of the hallmark. Detailed image of hallmark far right. Locate the assay office. If your item does not have one of the standard fineness marks, either traditional or numerical, then it is probably silver plate or is from another county.

Silver plate hallmark identification wizard

The history of hallmarking in Britain began in the year in the reign of King Edward the first. It is thus lengthy, and also surprisingly complicated. This short introduction cannot cover all the intricacies; it is intended to be a simple introduction for those with little or no knowledge of the history and practices of hallmarking but are curious about the significance of marks on a piece of silver. Such items will usually be from the nineteenth or early twentieth century, or possibly the eighteenth century, so the emphasis is on helping to identify hallmarks from these periods, including marks that are not hallmarks, and giving some pointers for further research. To receive a hallmark an item must be made of silver of a specified fineness, and must pass a test at an assay office to prove this before it is marked. There are some exceptions to this rule, generally items too small or delicate to bear the hallmarks, such as items of jewellery, although if they are described as silver they must be of legal fineness. British hallmarks on silver from the period considered usually comprise four or five individual marks. This mark shows that the fineness of the metal meets a specified legal standard. Pure silver is too soft for objects subject to daily wear so it is alloyed with a base metal, usually copper, to make it more durable This dilutes the precious metal and makes the mixture less valuable. Because the proportion of base metal present cannot be readily assessed, the amount allowed to be added is controlled by law. Hallmarking was introduced to show that the fineness had been tested and that the base metal content was not more than allowed by law.

Chinese Export Silver. Having established in which office the item was hallmarked, you can then turn to the tables of date letters to determine when the item was hallmarked. This not only identified the year in which the item was assayed but also identified the Touch Warden responsible.

Discover the origins of any piece of silver with this visual guide. An article attributed to "Martha Stewart Editors" indicates when several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available. The Martha Stewart team aims to teach and inspire readers daily with tested-until-perfected recipes, creative DIY projects, and elevated home and entertaining ideas. They are experts in their fields who research, create, and test the best ways to help readers design the life they want.

Reading silver hallmarks can tell you a lot about your silver item, including the purity, where it was assayed, in whose factory it was produced, and the year in which the item was assayed. This helpful guide will help you get started with reading your hallmarks. The first step in reading silver hallmarks is to locate the marks on your item. The location of the marks varies from item to item, but there are some general rules. For example, the hallmarks on silver flatware are usually located on the back of the piece, on a flat edge. If the hallmark is unclear then you can breathe on it — like you would to produce condensation on a window, and the mark should become a little clearer.

Silver plate hallmark identification wizard

Silver Dictionary' of A Small Collection of Antique Silver and Objects of vertu , a 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 This makes difficult the research of information for inexperienced people. The objective of this page is to help the visitors of the site in deciphering the marks of their British silverplate.

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There were other provincial assay offices in earlier times that had their own distinguishing marks. Smaller, collectable items such as vesta cases and card cases can be worth much more than larger items such as tea services simply because they can be collected in larger numbers with ease. December 9, Post by: Paul Murphy. But how? What can be called silver? Geoffrey B. Close Sign in Or Register. Use profiles to select personalised content. Lawrence B. Philip M. In , gold wedding rings were made liable for hallmarking for the first time. Throughout this period, gold was stamped with sterling marks through an anomaly. Di Dz. From , imported items should have been assayed in a British assay office and struck with the usual marks, and after , they should also have been given an additional mark of an F in an oval shield, but this was often avoided until the Revenue Act mandated that all imported silver wares be placed in bond until hallmarked. Mark D.

The marks on the bottom of a piece of silver can be an indication of the age, maker, and origin of the piece. This is a list of American silver marks and solid American silver.

Caveat emptor. It was hoped that this would help to detect counterfeit marks. Si Sz. Weight The weight of your item will help us to understand the quality of your silver. As such you might be best hanging onto your silver plate for a while longer. March 25, Post by: Paul Murphy. It was changed each year when new wardens were elected, which was part way through the calendar year, and so it can be used to determine the period spanning two calendar years in which the piece was marked. This is when the idea of assaying for purity was introduced. Ep Ez. Silversmiths like Paul Storr produced many items to the same design, but depending on the wealth of their client they would adjust the amount of silver that they would use for the commission. Pa Pg. Poole Call Number: AO