What does the shape on sterling silver hallmarks mean?

What does the shape on sterling silver hallmarks mean?

The shape is used with letters to help date the item. The hallmarks will tell you if the item is sterling silver, what town it was assayed in, the date of assay and the maker’s initials. The symbol for English sterling is a walking lion, or “Lion Passant”.

How many silver hallmarks and makers marks are there?

Welcome This project has been 18 years in the making and now documents over 12,000 silver marks on 1,200+ pages and subpages. It is regularly updated as we find and photograph new examples of silver hallmarks and makers’ marks. To navigate the site, it is easiest to use the green menu bar at the top of the screen.

What do the markings on a hallmark ring mean?

Here is a table of common hallmark fineness stamps: As our gold ring in the photo was made prior to 1973 (Hallmarking Act), the markings are slightly different, but still easy to understand. In our example, you can see the ’22’ stamp, indicating 22 carat gold. The next mark tells us which assay office hallmarked the jewellery item.

How tall is the handle on a sterling silver hallmark?

The handle side is 4.5″ tall. The pour spout is 2″. The bottom has a raised crest with 3 raised marks. The first is a lion rampant mark, next to it crossed keys, and the mark below these is an Old English “P”. It appears to be silver plate.

What kind of Mark do you put on sterling silver?

If a piece was made in a foreign country for import into England, it would include a maker’s mark, control mark and standard mark. But if a piece was made in England for sale at home it would require a fourth mark, a British assay mark. These changes may sound confusing at first, but are of great benefit.

How to sort medals by order in Excel?

It is simpler than it looks. All you have to do is use custom sort feature in Excel. Now specify the sort levels and sort orders. Click ok and you are done! Well, there is a work around. Add an extra column in your data and calculate sort order using a formula, as shown below.

What are the symbols on a hallmark sterling silver plate?

A piece with both marks meets the requirements of both the EC and US, two huge markets. A typical English hallmark ca. 1890-1999, generally has four symbols and may have five. These symbols may be placed in any order. They include: 1) symbol for the town in which the silver content was certified, called an assay or town mark;

Where does the 925 mark on sterling silver come from?

In fact the vast majority of mass produced silver reproductions today, whether made in Thailand, India, England, Europe or America, now include 925 in the mark. With the 925 standard mark, a piece of silver can virtually be sold world wide with the same mark. The use of 925, however, does not preclude the use of sterling.

Why are some letters omitted from a Hallmark card?

One letter represents one entire year, then it changes to the next letter in the following year. Some letters can be omitted, like “J” or “V”, because they are too similar to other letters. When the last letter is reached, the alphabet is repeated, but with a different style of lettering or font.

When did they start using antique silver hallmarks?

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 world the term hallmark.

When did they start hallmarking silver in Edinburgh?

The Incorporation of Goldsmiths of the City of Edinburgh was thought to be in the 1490’s and the earliest surviving records date from 1525. The hallmarking of Irish silver began towards the middle of the 17th century. The mark of origin is the Harp Crowned and it appears with a date letter and maker’s mark.

What happens if you use a false silver hallmark?

A false silver hallmark has always been treated with the utmost severity by the law and in the past a silversmith was pilloried for their first offence, where they would be pelted with rotten fruit and vegetables.

What does the control mark on sterling silver mean?

A typical hallmark on silver made in England for either export or sale in England. The control mark, a set of scales, was adopted in 1976. The scales mark certifies the acceptance of a 1976 treaty in which nations agreed to recognize each others hallmarks.

What does 925 hallmark mean on sterling silver?

The fineness represents the purity of the item in parts per thousand; in the image above for example, a 925 hallmark would mean 92.5% pure, or Sterling Silver. The Assay Office hallmark denotes which office tested the item.

How to read British silver hallmarks step by step?

STEP 1 – LOOK FOR THE STANDARD MARK 1 The walking lion for all sterling silver made in England 2 The standing lion for all sterling silver made in Glasgow 3 The thistle for for all sterling silver made in Edinburgh 4 The crowned harp for all sterling silver made in Dublin 5 The image of Britannia for Britannia standard silver