When was silver hallmarked

We continue to use the Lion Rampant which is the symbol for Sterling Silver exclusively hallmarked in Scotland. These are special marks that can be added to a piece in honour. A significant national event for a dedicated period of time, usually a year. Having this type of mark can make an item more collectible in the future.

This also called a Convention mark. Given to ensure safe cross border trade of precious metals between the member countries of the International Convention as mentioned above. The UK has been a member since If you are unsure about a hallmark or the purity of the metal you can contact your local Trading Standards Authority. To give our customers peace of mind we have our website audited regularly by an Independent entity which was set up by the Edinburgh Assay Office called Assay Assured.

This audit ensures that all products are accurately described and we display clear information about precious metal and hallmarking for consumers. They can also act as a mediator should a dispute ever arise. Our website carries the Assay Assured Trustmark — more details can be found here.

Do you need assistance identifying your silver piece? We are specialists in the metal industry and offer a free and efficient service to help you distinguish a hallmark. The easiest way to test if your jewellery is really sterling silver is to get a magnet and place it next to your piece of jewellery. Wiping your jewellery with a soft white cloth will tell you how pure your jewellery is. Consequently if you notice black marks appearing on the cloth after rubbing your jewellery, you can be sure that it is silver.

This is because silver oxidises when exposed to the air and it the reason why silver jewellery is prone to tarnishing over time and developing a dark blackish tinge.

Hallmarked Silver Money Clip. Edinburgh Silver suppliers of quality Scottish Silver. Platinum Gold Silver Palladium. The hallmarks are stamped on at an Assay office in the UK. Only 1 of the 4 Assay offices are allowed to hallmark precious metals. The hallmarks proves the provenance, authenticity and purity of the metals. The official hallmarking offies are in Birmingham London Edinburgh Sheffield. This website uses cookies to improve your experience.

We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More. Top Posts. No other British assay office has had so many hallmarks, but thanks to the thorough documentation of assay offices, it is still easy enough to identify whether or not your piece has Scottish origins. Although there has been total refurbishment of the Edinburgh assay office, the quality of the services provided remains excellent and dedicated.

In case you're interested, the other UK assay offices and their marks that are now closed are as follows:. This hallmark designates the year the piece was assayed. Someone with a keen eye will notice that date hallmarks change from year to year. For example, every date mark consists of a letter and some kind of shape surrounding the letter.

Both the letter and its shape combine to designate the year. Each year both change, but not necessarily in a way that makes any sense to those who do not understand silver hallmarks.

The maker's mark used by Alfred James How also bears his initials, but the shape looks more like a double shield than a rectangle. The duty mark indicates that the proper duty was applied to silver pieces when manufactured. A duty mark can be useful for research because it depicts the reigning monarch at the time duty was assessed.

The mark was officially discontinued in with the end of the duty, but it is still important for historical reference on older pieces. Silver hallmarks are said to be struck because of the way they are applied. Markers use a simple hammer and punch that creates a very distinct and sharp image when done properly. However, striking a hallmark can lead to sharp edges and metal spurs, so marking is traditionally done before a piece is polished in preparation for sale.

The striking and polishing create a visually stunning image that appears in relief on the piece. Over the years, a certain amount of patina accumulates in the recessed portions of a mark, giving an already exquisite silver piece even more character. For the buyer or collector who understands the significance of the hallmarks, a well-struck mark that has left a distinct impression makes all the difference in the world.

Now you know more about the hallmarks you see on commercially sold silver products. Thank goodness someone had the foresight hundreds of years ago to start requiring marks in order to verify the quality and authenticity of silver pieces. Today, we revere the hallmarks as a means of both protecting purity and appreciating history. View Basket 0 items My Account. Silverware History.

Edinburgh Hallmarks. Collectors will often place a premium on silver hallmarked in other regional centres which have since closed. Some of these ceased hallmarking as early as the Stuart period the Norwich assay office identified by a crowned lion passant and a crowned rosette shut in , while others such as Chester three wheat sheaves and a sword and Glasgow a tree, bird, bell and fish were still operating into the post-war era.

For many reasons town silversmiths in Ireland and Scotland seldom sent their plate to Edinburgh, Glasgow or Dublin to be assayed. Here, often for reasons of security and economy, it was prudent to operate outside the jurisdiction of the metropolitan assay houses of Dublin and Edinburgh.

Instead, they stamped the silver themselves with a maker's mark, a town mark or combinations of these and other marks. The hallmark of the Limerick silversmith Joseph Johns. Specialist publications are essential for locating and unstanding the meaning of a huge proliferation of different marks and symbols used on Scottish provincial silver.

The silver hallmarks struck for Alexander Cameron of Dundee. Although no longer compulsory, British hallmarks typically include a letter to indicate the year when a piece of silver was assayed. Generally the letter was changed annually until a complete alphabet had been used and then the cycle would begin again with an alteration to the style of letter or its surrounding shield. For a variety of reasons this practice was not always adhered to and the resulting anomalies can be seen in the tables of marks.

However, the date letter system allows antique plate to be dated more accurately than almost all other antiques. Login Register Basket Loading basket. Go to Pre s Exemption.