London silver date marks The site's main focus is the silver markings used on vintage and antique sterling and coin silver, for those of you interested in silverplate trademarks, we have now added a large section In addition to prescribing the town symbols for imported silver (and also for gold) the 1904 Act also predicated the use of a numerical value for the standard in place of the lion passant for sterling silver and the crown for 18 carat gold. British Sterling Date Marks. In 1757, counterfeiting hallmarks was made a felony, punishable by death. Items bearing British Import marks will sometimes have additional marks from the country of origin, sometimes not. The best known of these are:- Chester a sword between three wheatsheaves, Birmingham a ship’s anchor, Sheffield a crown, Edinburgh a three towered castle, Glasgow a tree with a fish, a bird and a bell, and Dublin a seated figure of Hibernia. Between 1697 and 1716 the higher This section helps you to date your silver using the date marks found in English silver hallmarks. In 1904 an Act of the Order of Council ordered that foreign silver had to be marked with the decimal value:. For small spoons the vertical orientation was not introduced until 1810. com •. 1544 1564; 1584 1604; 1624 1644 1664; 1684; 1702; 1722; 1742; 1762; 1782; 1802; 1822; 1842 1856; 1857; 1858; 1859; 1860*; 1861; 1862; 1863*; 1864; 1865; 1866; 1867; 1868; 1869; 1870; 1871; 1872; 1873*; 1874*; 1875 London Dates - H. How we can help This box shows the full set of marks for 2000. London Hallmarks. Illustrations of the various import marks are shown on the Import Marks page. co. An easy to follow guide on reading British Silver Hallmarks by I. British date marks use letters from A to Z to represent dates. This left just the fineness, assay office and maker as standard marks. Maker's Mark This particular set of marks tells us that this item was made of Sterling, in the city of London, in the year 1789, during the reign of King George III, and by the silversmith Thomas Wallis. The tax on silver was further increased in 1804 and 1815. In order to read the date letter, you must know the year in which the item was made and the city in which it was Learn how to date your silver from its hallmark by identifying the assay office and the date letters. 925-1000 . | Where to Find English Silver Hallmarks Date Letters English silver hallmarks date letters can be found on silver items from the UK. Town mark. The date letters were changed on the day that the Goldsmith's Guild wardens were elected, originally St Dunstan's Day (19 May) until the Restoration (1660) and 29 May London Dates 1916-1935. com •• www . lion passant) and the date letter have both been optional. Double Duty Mark London Dates - G. Sequences of historical marks for the following offices can be viewed through the links below (reproduced courtesy of the British Hallmarking Council). London, England - Present The crowned leopard's marks was used - , the uncrowned from - Present. NOTE: Since 1 January 1999 the traditional fineness mark (e. Today, collecting Antique Silver is a very lucrative pastime, which can be taken up by anyone with a little bit of time and money. British hallmarks date back to medieval times. However, at the London Assay Office, the mark is still applied as standard unless otherwise requested. Feb 19, 2016 · Now that we know that this piece was made in London between the years 1838 and 1890, we can look a chart of London date marks to find a match for uppercase letter E in a shield on our piece, which, in this case, is a match for the year 1880. Step 5 – Look for the Maker’s Mark Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks London Date Letters & Maker's Marks - IX • www . Its objective is to prevent mistakes in determining the date marks of the period subject matter of our article. Exeter Date Marks. The second mark was used from 1906. A letter mark coinciding with the date of assay was first introduced in London in 1477. Related Pages at 925-1000. The guardians of the Assay Office meet annually in July when, until 1975, the date letter was changed. Biggest fish caught in Indiana Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks London Date Letters & Maker's Marks - VI • www . Unchanged were london silver date letter and sponsor's mark. For example, a silver plate stamped with the initials HW could belong to silversmith Hester Bateman, a prominent figure in 18th-century British silver. com • Lion passant guardant or Britannia or lion's head erased certifiying the silver's quality. Makers' Marks: Quick Makers' Marks: Hallmark Identification [Date Letters] Scottish Provincial Marks Identification: Please report errors and potential updates via my Contact form. 1551 1571; 1591 1611; 1631; 1651; 1671 1691; 1709; 1729; on large spoons & forks the hallmarks run horizontally for 1789 and vertically for 1809 or via drop-down list: | Home | busselton jetty observatory > 6 string bass players > london silver date marks. com • Town marks for imported silver have differed from the normal marks since 1904. The shield and font is different in each case. Assay Office Mark: Identifies where the silver was tested and approved, like the leopard’s head for London; Date Mark: Shows the year the silver was assayed, using a letter that changes annually; Maker’s Mark: The initials or symbol of the silversmith or sponsor who produced the item; Types of Silver Hallmarks Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks London Date Letters & Maker's Marks - VII • www . Edinburgh Date Marks. London uses A–U, Birmingham uses A–Z, etc. Traditionally common control marks consisted of four punches. 1975*; 1976; 1977*; 1978*; 1979*; 1980*; 1981; 1982; 1983; 1984; 1985; 1986*; 1987*; 1988*; 1989*; 1990*; 1991*; 1992 This is the introductory page of the article about London marks of 1776-1795 that will be published in the January 2011 newsletter. Despite this, the year punch is still often included, but date letters are much less common these days. Each town of assay uses its own system. Newcastle Date Marks. London Import Marks on Foreign Made Silver • 1867 - Present The "F" was used, 1867 - 1904, in conjunction with a full set of London marks. If an item of silver was hallmarked outside London, the town mark identifies at which office it was marked. From left to right, these hallmarks demonstrate a maker’s mark, the lion passant, the London town mark, the London 1935 date letter, and a Jubilee mark celebrating George V’s Silver Jubilee in 1934/35. Duty Drawback Mark . A special Assay Office mark was introduced to be used in the addition to the annual date letter, while the "F" mark was omitted. com • 2. A letter mark coinciding with the date of assay was first introduced in London in 1477. The "Britannia standard" (alloy containing 95,84% of silver) was the obligatory standard for items of "wrought plate" from 1697 until 1 June 1720. Directory of Silver Hallmarks. The hallmarks here comprises (L;R) the makers mark, the lion passant, the London town mark, the London 1935 date letter, and the Jubilee mark. Birmingham Hallmarks. Irish sterling silver from Dublin will have a crowned harp. You can also find reference books and online The date letters are of course very important in determining when any piece of English silver was made, but for these silver hallmarks, which are quite numerous, we recommend that you should buy a silver hallmarks book from our recommended books section. g. The import mark for sterling silver therefore also includes the value "·925" in an oval punch. Find links to tables of date letters for London and other British and Irish assay offices. Note that coverage of Scottish provincial marks is far from comprehensive so I would appreciate additional examples of marks being sent to me. Jul 12, 2020 · Leopards head crowned for silver hallmarked in London 1820; Leopards head for silver hallmarked in London 1820 . The letters used in a particular year are determined by the Assay Office. The Millennium mark; The date mark – 2000 – ‘a’ was the start of a new cycle. From the bottom the marks are. Sheffield Hallmarks Silver hallmarks provide impartial proof of an article's precious metal content. Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks London Date Letters & Maker's Marks - III • www . They are usually located on the back or underside of the item, and they are usually accompanied by other hallmarks such as the maker's mark and the assay office mark. Find charts, symbols, images and lists of London silver hallmarks and makers. York Date Marks. com • Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks London Date Letters & Maker's Marks - XI • www . Scottish sterling silver from Edinburgh bears a thistle. a widely illustrated guide to London silver assay marks, marks and hallmarks of British silver, including date letters chart, silver marking system and silver hallmarks guide of other towns as Birmingham, Sheffield, Dublin, Edinburgh, Chester, Glasgow: a widely illustrated directory of 3000 full sets of silver hallmarks of British makers with information on their location and history, or via drop-down list: | Home | Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks London Date Letters & Maker's Marks - V • www . The standard mark is one of the most important hallmarks as it confirms an item is made from genuine London Dates - O. A date letter first appeared on English silver plate in the year 1697 as a result of legislation. 8 which, among other things, deals with the marks that must be applied to assayed plate at Goldsmiths' Hall the following wording is used: " . com • London Dates 1975-1999. Sheffield Date Marks. One, the sterling […] Jan 3, 2022 · Since 1999 the date letter has been a voluntary mark and therefore will not always be present. Date Letter, 4. 925 for Sterling Standard and . Mar 26, 2025 · These marks appear as initials, symbols, or more elaborate designs. Sep 22, 2021 · This mark was instituted in 1363. Maker’s marks can be straightforward, but some may include multiple layers of meaning or have symbols or monograms. and a distinct variable mark to be used by the warden of the said mystery, to denote the year in which London Import Marks on Foreign Made Silver • 1867 - Present The "F" was used, 1867 - 1904, in conjunction with a full set of London marks. In clause VIII of the Act 8 & 9 William III c. com • The 1973 act removed the date from the compulsory marks. Glasgow Date Marks Dublin Date Marks The date letters used in British silver hallmarks change every year. Incuse Duty Mark, London 1785 . The date letter was changed in May until the Hallmarking Act of 1975 when it (along with all other remaining British date letter sequences) changed in January. The same letters were used for Gold, which has been marked in Birmingham since 1824, but with a background of a square with cut corners. City Mark, 3. Until 1999, a letter was generally placed on the silver, one that changed every year and indicates the specific year when the silver piece was assayed. and a distinct variable mark to be used by the warden of the said mystery , to denote the year in which Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks British Hallmarks Explained London Date Letters • 1696 - 1935 & Maker's Marks Birmingham Date A date letter first appeared on English silver plate in the year 1697 as a result of legislation. 958 for Britannia Standard. 1916; 1917*; 1918; 1919; 1920*; 1921; 1922*; 1923*; 1924*; 1925*; 1926*; 1927*; 1928*; 1929*; 1930*; 1931; 1932; 1933* List of London Silver Makers hallmarks from the 17th Century, 18th Century, & 19th Century. Look For The Date Letter . Aug 20, 2024 · British and Irish silver will have one of 5 marks - English sterling silver features a walking lion, known as a lion passant. (IMAGE REFERENCE) The standard mark. For example, the letter a was used in London in 1786, while the letter d was used in 1789. This is why it is important to find the town mark before you try to find the date letter. The date letters were changed on the day that the Goldsmith's Guild wardens were elected, originally St Dunstan's Day (19 May) until the Restoration (1660) and 29 May to match the shield around the Date Letter Mark. They are quite inexpensive & are always useful to have around. The images below show examples of what the 5 marks look like sequentially on a piece of flatware: From Left to Right (1927, Dublin, Brittania Standard Silver 95. uk Throughout the nineteenth century (and still today), every British-made silver object offered for sale was required to bear four marks struck into the metal in a conspicuous place. The Jubilee mark was used during 1934 and 1935 to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of George V. Originally it signified the Assay Master responsible for testing and marking the silver. These were: Maker or sponsor mark Proportion of precious metal or fineness Assay The date letters below show the background shape for silver. In 1797, the duty to be paid was doubled and is represented on London silver by a clipped punch shape, other assay offices struck the duty mark twice (see illustration below) - this is known as a double duty mark. Duty Mark and 5. the date letter for 1898 in Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks London Date Letters & Maker's Marks - XIV • www . Chester Date Marks. Learn how to identify the origin and age of British sterling silver pieces by the town mark, lion passant, maker's mark and date letter. The date marks below are split by assay office: London Date Marks. The London Assay Office mark – the leopard’s head; The lion passant – the traditional sterling silver mark; My sponsor’s name which is my initials in a distinctive shield. library@thegoldsmiths. 925-1000. Gold hallmarks date letters Today there are four UK assay offices: Birmingham, Edinburgh, London and Sheffield. One letter represents one entire year, then it changes to the next letter in the following year. Other hallmarks, like commemorative or duty marks, can also provide clues to help you date your object. Franks - London's specialists in antique and 20th century silver. SilverMine British Silver Marks London 1558 - 1999 1558 - 1716 1716 - 1856 1856 - 1999 Assay marking began in London in 1327. Examples of British Import Marks. For example, the date letter for 1898 in London is a lowercase ‘c’, in Sheffield it is a lowercase ‘f’ and in Birmingham it is a lowercase ‘y’. com: Silverplate Trademarks Section British Hallmarks Explained London Date Letters • 1696 - 1935 & Maker's Marks Birmingham Date Letters • 1773 - 1924 & Maker's Marks The anchor was adopted as the assay office mark by Birmingham and the crown by Sheffield, supposedly as a result of the delegations meeting at a public house in London called the Crown and Anchor. An image of Shield rather than outline signifies restoration of the (previously debased) sterling standard: 1560 1580 1600 1620; 1640; 1660 1680; 1698; 1718; 1738; 1758 Dublin silver is struck with a crowned harp, to which a seated figure of Hibernia was added in 1731. There may be some variations in backgrounds during the late 19th century, especially on watch cases. Its purpose was to prevent forgery. 8%, London) From Left to Right (London, Sheffield, 1942, England Sterling Silver) If you’re considering buying Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks London Date Letters & Maker's Marks - XII • www . In 1731, the figure of Hibernia was added. Birmingham Date Marks. com is the most extensive internet resource for research of Silver Marks, Hallmarks, Trademarks & Maker's Marks found on Antique and Vintage silver. Mar 11, 2013 · LONDON, England (1300 – Present) THE LONDON ASSAY OFFICE London Assay Office Goldsmiths’ Hall Gutter Lane London EC2V 8AQ Telephone 020 7606 8975 the. Simply learn to recognise those Antique Silver Hallmarks. Standard Mark, 2. Scottish sterling silver from Glasgow has a standing lion, known as a lion rampant. 1545 1565; 1585 1605 1625 1645 1665 1685; 1703; 1723; 1743; 1763; 1783; 1803; 1823 The mark of origin is the Harp Crowned and it appears with a date letter and maker’s mark. A typical set of antique British silver hallmarks showing (left to right); 1. One photograph has London import hallmarks for 18 carat gold with the date letter “u” for 1915 to 1916, one has London import hallmarks for ·925 Silver with the date letter “p” for 1910 to 1911, and the third has London import hallmarks for 9 carat gold with the date letter “t” for 1914 to 1915. com • 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 † Differentiating between 1789 "o" and 1809 "O": on large spoons & forks the hallmarks run horizontally for 1789 and vertically for 1809. yzeja nrvu tpviz urmlcp qjozk aiqdm jpt syfvikey ijly txb