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. A set of symbols imitating the shape of sterling silver hallmarking. These are "generic marks " used by various silverplate makers. In this case the "S" stands for "Sons". In this case the "S" stands for "Sheffield".
Inhe toured many of Europe's silver workshops and manufactories, speaking with individual specialists, including master craftsmen and toolmakers. He also sought out highly skilled foreign workmen to train his American workers.
Dating Antique Silver Hallmarks Antique Silver Hallmarks and how to indentify where your silver comes from. Antique silver hallmarks have been used to control the quality of goods made of silver since the 14th century and the organisation that regulates the craft, Goldsmiths Hall, gave the . American Silver Marks Menu American Modernist Silver Marks American Flatware Pattern Menu Kirk Date Marks Reed & Barton Dates Stieff Date Marks Tuttle Date Marks Whiting Date Marks Tiffany . HOW TO DATE YOUR SILVERPLATE. From centuries British silver is protected by the stamping of symbols and letters identifying the maker, the Assay Office and the date in which the quality of the silver piece was verified. Thanks to the "date letter" any piece of .
com is the most extensive internet resource for research of Silver Marks, Hallmarks, Trademarks & Maker's Marks found on Antique and Vintage silver. 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 of silverplate marks. how to read sterling silver hallmarks The marks of electroplated silver were often inspired to the hallmarking used for sterling silver. The purpose of these marks hid the unacknowledged goal of confusing the customer about the nature of the metal alloy. Date marks on holloware were instituted by Reed & Barton in , the practice continued through Reed & Barton is a prominent American silver manufacturer based in the city of Taunton, Massachusetts since It is internationally acclaimed for its fine quality products, notably sterling silver and silverplate. The company has produced many varieties of silver and pewter products since .
Grant asked Gorham to commemorate the country's one-hundredth anniversary in with a spectacular Century Vase that contained over 2, ounces of sterling silver. In a charter was granted by the Rhode Island legislature by the name of "Gorham Manufacturing Company". Glasgow silver-smiths used a fish or tree.
Ornate capital letters or the fleur-de-lis were used in France. A hand indicates Antwerp, a spread eagle Germany or Russia. If a piece is not American, refer to the sources about English or Continental silver.
If it seems to be American, this dictionary will help. The earliest silversmiths in the colonies used their initials. Many makers used their last name, or first initial and last name.
How To Easily Identify Sterling Silver - English Hallmarks
Pseudo-hallmarks were used about They were meant to mislead the public into believing that the silver was of English origin. Many unmarked pieces of American silver were made by The pieces were later marked with the store name.
This is still the standard for sterling silver.
Silversmiths in Baltimore, Maryland, had a maker-date system from to An assay office was legally established inand marks were placed on all silver sold.