English & Irish Silver Hallmark Identification

Decoding the marks on your English or Irish silver may at first seem daunting.   There is a wealth of information on the web including charts and pictures that can help walk you through the process.  The marks reveal the British Isle where the item was made, the town where it was assayed, the year of assay, and the silversmith.

The English system of marking silver resonates with my need for structure and order.   I pick up a piece and there they are….small marks neatly lined up in order.   I will share with you my method for researching the hallmarks.   At the end I will list web sites I think you will find helpful.

Since the marks are usually small and sometimes partially obscure by tarnish I recommend you first do a good cleaning of the marks.  After cleaning the marks take a  close-up picture of them and save it to your computer.  This is always my starting point and I think you will find it helpful.  That way you can use the on-line charts and have a large clear picture of the marks on your piece which will aid in identification.   If the marks need to be cleaned apply a good silver polish to the marks and let it dry.  Once dry take a soft toothbrush or cotton swab and remove the polish.  If the tarnish is stubborn and difficult to remove from the impressed marks dip the end of a match stick (the old fashion square ones work well) in polish, place it over the mark, and turn gently.  This will usually help removed stubborn tarnish in the mark.

To help save time check to see if your piece has a full set of hallmarks which can rule out that your piece might be silver plate.   Some British silver plate will have a series of marks similar to solid silver.  Such as the firm of Ellis Barker.  But silver plate will not have the standard mark.  So looking for the standard mark first is a good place to start.  There will be 4 or 5 marks on British & Irish silver.   Below is a picture of marks on a set of English silver fish knives that were in my Ruby Lane shop.

 

 

 

 

First; look for a standard mark.  In the picture of my fish knife you will see the Lion Passant/Walking Lion.  This is a guarantee that the piece is English silver is of .925 content. 

 

 

 

 

Below are other standard marks for British Isles & Irish silver

 

                                            The standing lion for sterling silver made in Edinburg

 

                                              

                                         The crowned harp for all sterling silver made in Dublin

 
 

                                              The thistle for sterling silver made in Glasgow 

 

                                            The image of Britannia for Britannia standard silver 

Second; look for a town/ city mark.   This is the town where the piece was assayed for silver content.  In the marks shown in the picture you will see a Leopard’s face which denotes London as the assay town/city.  So now you would know to look at date charts for London There were 10 major assay towns. 

 

Third, look for the date mark.  The “N” shown below is the date mark on the fish knives.  Note the outside shape of the mark and the font. 

Now that you have identified the town/city mark you can use one of the many charts found on-line or in reference books to identify the date on your piece.   These marks correspond to the particular town where the piece was assayed.   So be sure to look at the correct city charts.  Note the letters, their fonts, and the shape of the punch will correspond to years on the chart.  This is where having cleaned your marks will help.  The shape and fonts are important as they changed through the years.

Fourth; look for a sovereign’s head/duty mark.   Your piece may or may not have one.  This will help narrow down the date range if this mark is on your piece.  These marks will show on the date charts. The mark which was used to shown that a tax had been paid to the “Crown”  was discontinued after 1890.  The profile on this mark was the reigning monarch at the time.   The fish knives I used in this article were marked with the profile of Victoria.  This mark was used from 1838 to 1890.  So with the information of this mark I know that I can narrow my date range search to those years.   Thus eliminating the need to look at so many letter marks and hopefully save my eyesight.

 

Fifth; you will find the maker’s mark/ initials.  There are numerous sites which identify these marks.  The shape of the mark is important since you may find that there will be several silversmiths with similar initials.  So watch for conjoined circles, square, circle, and shield shapes.  Below the GA is in a conjoined circle.

 

 

http://www.silvercollection.it/englishsilverhallmarks.html

http://www.925-1000.com/british_marks.html

An excellent site for helping to identify British & Irish assay and makers marks; 

http://www.silvermakersmarks.co.uk/


Enjoy the search! Remember to buy antique silver. Reuse and recycle beautiful pieces from the past!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

Antique Sterling Silver-Collecting & Investing

Over the past year one of the top selling items for my store has been antique sterling silver. Sterling silver is in the top ten best selling items for several  popular on-line auctions.  I have also noticed at recent estate auctions, bidding on antique sterling silver requires real stamina.  Some weeks the items on the "Wish List" for my shop at http://www.rubylane.com/shop/43chesapeakecourt are almost entirely sterling silver.  In recent months, I have sold pierced baskets, bowls, a tea caddy spoons, calling card cases, fish knives, serving spoons, and several chargers. Most of my buyers have purchased these pieces to add to their collections; however, some buy to present as gifts.

Sterling silver has been part of most people's lives in the way of wedding gifts, baby gifts, anniversary gifts, Christmas gifts, and gifts for major milestones in their lives. Memories of holiday dinners with the table set with family silver.  Memories as a child having tea from your Grandmother's silver teapot.  Memories of our children in pictures captured in silver frames collected over the years bring a smile. Memories, of a race that first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs, and a cool Mint Julep in a silver cup. Memories and tradition add layers to our lives. Sterling silver adds a nice layer! Or lining, as some would say!

One area that is really "hot" today is sterling cocktail items. The resurgence of the "cocktail hour" has motivated this interest.  Cocktail shakers, trays, servers, stirrers, picks, and ice buckets are receiving a fair share of the attention.  Claret jugs, though from another period of time, also enjoy popularity. Wine funnels, labels, and mint julep cups also command attention.

The allure of silver has endured since civilization began.  It is second only to gold as a precious metal. Silver has a long history. It has been mined for over 5,000 years. The Greeks minted the drachma; the Romans the denarius; and the British their English shilling (sterling). Alexander the Great had an elite guard on which he bestowed silver shields. Imagine the opposing army facing those shields on a sunny day. The Lavrion Silver mine in ancient Greece provided funds for the Athenians.  The funds helped them defeat the Persians and build the Acropolis and other monuments. In the Medieval period through the seventeenth century spoons were a personal item and presented at baptism.  Horn, pewter, brass, and silver were used to craft spoons.  Normally, only wealthy families presented silver spoons at birth.  People took their spoons to banquets (none were provided) so your station in life was revealed by your spoon.  There really is meaning behind that old saying "Born with a silver spoon in your mouth".

Silver's great strengths include reflectivity, malleability and ductility.  Silver reflects a high percentage of light that falls on it.  Photographing silver for Internet listings can be a challenge! Malleability and ductility refer to the ability to shape and mold.  These two characteristics have made it a favorite for craftsman through the centuries.  Their creativity is almost unlimited when working with silver.  Silver is also an excellent heat conductor.  One additional interesting note: bacteria cannot survive on silver.  Some early surgical instruments were crafted of silver.  Today antique silver surgical items from the 1800's are highly collectable.

Other popular items I see collectors buying include serving pieces such as asparagus servers, tomato servers, candelabras, candlesticks, trays, condiments, salts, mustard pots, stirrup cups, boxes, nutmeg graters, card cases, vesta boxes, cigarette cases, picture frames, napkin rings, tea/coffee services, tea canisters and tea caddy spoons.  These items always seem to captivate collectors.

A silver collection can be built over time and can take as little space as a table top.  Once you have decided what will be in your collection; spend some time reading and researching.  The Internet is a great source for research and there are also many good books on the subject.  My personal favorite is "Antique Silver" by Ian Pickford. I have included in this article information from his book.  Begin to familiarize yourself with hallmarks.  Again, you can find sites on the web and books to help identify marks. One of my favorites is Miller's "Silver & Sheffield Plate Marks" by John Bly.

It may help you to first choose a style, period or era.  Some people prefer to collect only by maker, such as Tiffany, or country of origin.  Decide what you want to invest in your collection.  It is also important to collect what you like and what appeals to you.  I have a collection of silver creamers and sugars.  I use these for flower arrangements; they are great for floribunda roses, which have many blooms but short stems.  I love to use them next to guest beds, in bathrooms, or all of them as a centerpiece for my table.

Once you have made a decision on style, period, and price you are ready to start.  Keep these four things in mind: Quality, Condition, Maker, and Marks.  Regarding quality, buy the best you can afford in your price range and consider design and workmanship. Considering condition, ask yourself: will it need repair, what kind of wear does the piece have; and will it need restoration?  What condition are you willing to accept?  Also consider monograms. Some people approve of monograms and some do not. Evaluate the maker.  Is it known to be a quality maker?  For a quality maker there may be an extra cost.  Is it worth it?  Familiarize yourself with marks. You may pay a premium for rare marks.

Important Terms When Buying Antique Silver

Sterling Silver Sterling silver is 92.5percent pure silver and 7.5 percent alloy metal. American sterling is simply marked "Sterling", sometimes followed by 925, and a makers mark. British sterling bears hallmarks that include symbols and letters to indicate the standard (Lion Passant which indicates sterling), town, date, duty marks, and makers mark. It may seem confusing at first, but after you decipher the system it is easy to use. After you have been collecting for a while, you will begin to notice the leopard's head mark and you will know the town is "London" and the anchor mark will register as "Birmingham". In time, you will be able to pick up a piece of silver and recognize the marks. Other European countries have systems in place for identifying sterling. One web-site that is most helpful is: http://www.925-1000.com/foreign_marks.html

Britannia The legal standard for all silver pieces produced between 1697 and 1720. It contained 958 parts pure silver - 33% more silver than sterling.

Coin Silver Coin silver is 90 percent pure silver and 10 percent alloy metal. It was used to produce U.S. currency during the 19th. Century. It is no longer used, but highly collectable.

Vermeil Sterling silver electroplated with at least 100 millionths of an inch of karat gold.

Old Sheffield Plate The object is made from metal already plated. Unlike other forms where the object is made first then plated. Today the term Sheffield Plate is used rather broadly.

Electroplated The name given to articles coated with pure silver by electrolysis.

EPNS (Electroplated Nickel Silver) and EPBM (Electroplated Britannia Metal).

Things To Consider When Buying

Study the period you are considering. There is a wealth of information both on the Internet and in books. Consider damage.  For a rare piece damage will not be as big an issue as for the less rare piece. Repairs and dents can be repaired by a silversmith.  Keep in mind repairs mean added costs. Tarnish can hide wear or repairs.  Be wary of items that are not cleaned; scratches are not as easily seen due to tarnish.  Also be aware that some damaged items may have been modified, especially in flatware, such as damaged spoons cut into forks.  When buying on the Internet, do not hesitate to contact the seller for more information and pictures.  Most reputable sellers invite questions and request for more pictures.  Today the Internet has many reputable sellers with quality merchandise.

I will close with two reminders.  As I mentioned earlier, I frequently use silver sugar and creamers for flowers.  Always use a liner of some sort before placing flowers inside sterling.  The flowers as they decay and can cause damage to the silver . I keep an assortment of paper cups in different sizes for liners. Second, sterling silver that is used and washed more often does not need polishing as frequently. Antique sterling silver achieves that beautiful patina (new sterling just does not have it) after years of handling and use. Use and enjoy your silver. 

The above was an article that I wrote for Ruby Lane; if you wish to use information or quotes from the article; please contact me first.  Copyright protected.

       Below are some of my favorite pieces from my shop; some have been sold                           to collectors and some are still available:

                                                     


One of my favorite pieces of all time; a stunning French silver
and vermeil ice cream service



Service for 12 including a fish service and
oak storage chest

 

A set of four Gucci stirrup cups



A set of four Puiforcat serving trays

 

One of my favorite customers has this French silver and crystal

confiturer on layaway.  She uses my layaway plan frequently which

helps her continue to add to her collection.