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HOW TO I.D. YOUR SILVER
THE INTRODUCTION
What should be remembered is that the identification of English silver is, thanks to the use of hallmarks, quite simple. Hallmarks are the stamps used by silversmiths to identify the "who, where, when" of their work.
THE HALLMARKS
There are between 4 and 5 hallmarks present on a piece of sterling silver. Now, please look at the picture below (it's from a spoon). I'd like to extend my sincere thanks to 925-1000.com for permission to use the fantastic photo, and don't forget to check out this great site.
I'm going to from left to right and explain each hallmark to you;
1) Lion Passant (lion with a raised leg, walking left); this is the indicator that your item is English Sterling Silver. It is otherwise known as the Sterling Mark. This spoon is now officially Sterling Silver!
2) City Mark; This is the city mark for London, the main centre for silver in England. It is usually a crowned leopard or an uncrowned leopard. This mark indicates that the item was made in London; other city marks include an anchor (for Birmingham) and three castles on a shield (Newcastle). If your city mark is not here, use the "Silver Inquiry" page and send me an email describing it as best you can! I'll reply with all the facts at my disposal!
3) Date Letter; The date letter is a vital indicator, as it tells what year the item was made. Now, there were two approaches to Date Letter. For London pieces, the letters go from A to U (excluding J), so there are 20 different letters used, in various shields and in different fonts. This date letter is for 1789. In other towns, however, they used the entire alphabet (minus the J) for a total of 25 letters. If there is no city letter on your piece, but it is date stamped with a Y, then it cannot have been made in London.
4) Duty Mark; This is not always present; introduced in 1784 and withdrawn in 1890, it shows that the silver has been presented for taxing to the assay office. If there is a duty mark, then you can instantly date your item to between 1784 and 1890. In the spoon's case, it is a male duty mark, which corresponds with the Date Letter (as it was the rule of George III).
5) Maker's Mark; The most important indicator is the Maker's Mark. Usually the initials of the silversmith (or of the firm), it is used by silversmiths to identify their work. It is always a difficult area to determine which craftsman made a piece of work, as certain marks are very similar. However, the successful identification of the maker can add substantially to the value of an item. In this case, the maker was Thomas Wallis, a London silversmith described by expert Ian Pickford as simply "spoon maker".
So there we have it! The process by which 5 little marks can tell us the antique spoon is Sterling Silver and was made in 1789 in London by silversmith Thomas Wallis. Clever eh?
WHAT NOW?
So, you know that your piece is English silver? Great! However, you don't access to all the fancy books and know-how. Wouldn't it be nice to know "who made it", "where is was made" and "when it was made"? I know I like knowing that! Why not click on the "Silver Inquiry" button below and ask me!
Questions or comments? Please send an E-Mail.
© 2004 RH Nottage
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