silver plate marks identification

Although you can catch many reproductions simply by understanding laws that regulate marks, that assumes the marks themselves are honestly applied. The old hallmarks were as unique as today's logos, and disputes often arose when one company copied another's stamp. When the Birmingham Assay Office was established in 1773, largely due to the representations of the great Midlands industrialist, Matthew Boulton, the mark of an anchor was adopted as the town mark. Since then, almost all silver of that quality sold among EC member countries has the 925 standard mark. The traditional method of marking is by hand punches, and is still the favoured method. Identify your Electroplated Nickel Silver Marks. Please report errors and potential updates via my Contact form. These five nations have, historically, provided a wealth of information about a piece through their series of applied punches. Many genuinely old marked discs have been removed from inexpensive common pieces and applied to more expensive pieces. Town marks for imported silver have differed from the normal marks They are very essential in antique silver appraisal as they provide the right information that help to determine the value and true prices of silver items. 1973-1979 Ford Truck 11-Digit VIN Decoder The first (3) digits of the VIN are the 'Truck Series' Looking at the chart below, 'F26' would be 1973-1979 F-250 44 pick-up. Silver Date Marks Hallmarks on British & Irish Silver NOTE: Since 1 January 1999 the traditional fineness mark (e.g. 3. The lion passant is no longer required but may be used in addition to the numeric mark. We will focus on the marks found on reproductions of small decorative and novelty pieces such as match safes, sewing accessories, pill boxes, chatelaines, thimbles and similar wares. Figs. Figs. Post by ralphk Mon Mar 02, 2009 8:08 am. Several of the pieces were close copies of known original shapes. PHOTOS REQUIRED - marks + item. Silverplate Trademarks Section British Hallmarks Explained London Date Letters 1696 - 1935 & Maker's Marks Birmingham Date Letters 1773 - 1924 & Maker's Marks Chester Date Letters 1701 - 1925 & Maker's Marks Exeter Date Letters 1701 - 1883 & Maker's Marks Newcastle Date Letters 1702 - 1884 & Maker's Marks the same feel. Porcelain Microwave and Dishwasher safe 3 Dinner - 1.5inH x 11inW x 11inD 4 Salad - 1inH x 9inW x 9inD 4 Cereal - 3inH x 6inW . With almost any silver or silverplate item, you'll notice tiny stamped marks somewhere on the piece. Gorham Silver Company used a special mark for their Martel silver from 1899 to 1912. Silver hallmarks have been used in the UK for hundreds of years. we respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously. Silver Makers Marks Makers' Marks on British & Irish Silver Use this section of my site to identify British and Irish silversmiths from their makers' or sponsors' marks. The first London silver hallmark to be used was the leopards head, in the year 1300. com www . Forgeries attempting to copy genuinely old marks, are somewhat harder to detect. To locate it in different items, check: Bottom of silver trays, bowls, teapots and dishes. This doesn't mean all pieces marked sterling or sterling silver old. Hallmark Identification [Date Letters] Scottish Provincial Marks Identification. The mark of origin is the Harp Crowned and it appears with a date letter and makers mark. Then you might need an invasive test to confirm. If your item does not have one of the standard fineness marks, either traditional or numerical, then it is probably silver plate or is from another county. the maker. The globalization of commerce has prompted nations to use the same units of weight, measure and standards to increase trade. Electroplating processes were invented in England in the 1830s and 1840s; this method is still used today. silver locket, Art Nouveau lady's face in flower. The alloy it contains is also the reason it's very durable. This trademark application was filed with the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) under the trademark classification: Jewelry Products ; Advertising, Business & Retail Services; The LE CORONE trademark application covers Alloys . 2 (95% or 80%), Germany Crescent Moon and Crown (80%)-Sometimes According to the law, quality-marked silver also must bear the name or a U.S. registered trademark of the company or person that will stand behind the mark."[1]. FAQ; Main Website. Pieces with the scale control mark cannot be earlier than mid- to late-1970s. Other lists include silver-plated wares and pewter. 24 was based. A guide to resources for identifying hallmarks and understanding the process of assaying. 800,900,925). In 1731, the figure of Hibernia was added. I have attended many auctions in all parts of the country. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The presence of the 925 mark is a clue to this piece's recent manufacture. From 1696 to 1720 the standard of silver was raised from 92.5% to 95.8% pure. Since these could vary considerably in purity, from around .750 millesimal fineness to around .900, silver known as "coin silver" varies in purity. Silver at that time was sometimes marked "COIN" or "PURE COIN", but can also be without a standard mark altogether. Origin. "Hotel" 925 means the metal is sterling silver. Diana head mark, number at left indicates silver purity, 3 =.800. Simply learn to recognise those Antique Silver Hallmarks. View more in our Electroplated Nickel Silver Price Guide. The mark was first found on a group of new silver match safes with sports themes. Usually, said precious metal, as the name suggests, is silver. silver plate mark "W&Co" ON A COFFEE/WATER JUG. In the early United States, no national assaying system was adopted, although the city of Baltimore did maintain its own assay office between 1814 and 1830. Many of the rings are direct copies from Victorian-era original. Silverplate Trademarks - Worldwide . Pamela has over 30 years of experience and has been writing for 20 years. From 1830 onward, two key trends emerged: exports of white copper from China slowed to a trickle, and then ceased, and German white copper manufacturing methods were brought to England. surface and then filled with enamel. Identify ECU in ProECU Once selected it will query the ECU CAL ID and VIN Number and bring up a list of ROMs that have that CAL ID in your C:\EcuTek folder. Meanwhile, a hexagonal frame represented 900 fine silver. The words quadruple, triple, double, EPNS, and EPWM indicate that the ware is silver plated. Antique Silver Hallmark Identification Forums. This listing should make it easier to identify Grandmas spoon or a dish in an antiques shop, but remember a mark can easily be copied. The long eye relief scout scope mount fits German K98 Mauser, VZ 24 rifle, Yugo. 18. Learn to know good work by its shape, feel, and construction. Menu. Exact source thought to be Thailand, but that is not certain. Pottery Marks Identification Guide & Index, Antiques Roadshow: Antiques, Collectibles & Heirlooms. Maker's mark was prescribed a standard form, a lozenge with cut sides. Figs. For an item to be deemed sterling silver, 92.5% of the metal content in the alloy must be pure silver. on Nickel Silver, EPC Electroplate [citation needed] Prior to the general adoption of sterling silver as the standard of purity in 1868, silver was generally obtained from the melting of coins. Champleve Cuts into surface filled with enamel then polished. The golfer match safe shown here (Fig. Read Inkerman's to find out and get some great tips for cleaning your precious items in the future. The hallmark for sterling silver varies from nation to nation, often using distinctive historic symbols, although Dutch and UK Assay offices no longer strike their traditional hallmarks exclusively in their own territories and undertake assay in other countries using marks that are the same as those used domestically. Machinerys Encyclopedia www.archive.org. Because of possible confusion with the Crown mark used after 1798, (as the hallmark for 18ct gold), the Sheffield assay mark was changed on January 1st 1975 for a rose. Please send us an email at chris@antiquesilver.org. Hallmark identification should answer four important questions - where; what; when; who. The original includes both a pattern and order number missing in the fake. You need to figure out such information as the manufacturers of the item and the year it was made. 19-21 This GJ-925-sterling mark (Fig. Go no further. The Tiffany and Unger Bros. forgeries shown in this article are typical of two frequently targeted high-value names. On the occasion of the Assay Offices bicentenary in 1973, Birmingham struck a special anchor with a C on either side of the stock, to indicate two hundred years. In 1731, the figure of Hibernia was added. A silver object that is to be sold commercially is, in most countries, stamped with one or more silver hallmarks indicating the purity of the silver, the mark of the manufacturer or silversmith, and other (optional) markings to indicate date of manufacture and additional information about the piece. From 1929, Japan Mint assays and hallmarks the articles made of silver. A well researched mark which includes a date stamp in the bottom line, M. Fortunately the forger overlooked the order number and pattern number. Therefore, hallmarking is generally done before the piece goes for its final polishing. identify the assay office from one of the town marks below you may have a piece of An assay office was legally established in 1814, and marks were placed on all silver sold. confused with Britannia Metal (pewter look). Kennedy Half Dollar Values and Prices (1964-2015), Gold-Colored Jewelry That Isnt Really Gold, Researching Silver and Silverplate Online, Early Jefferson Nickel Values 1938 - 1964. 22 Fake silver plate badge, US Indian Police. 2023 Copyright Antique Silver Buyers | We are Florida Licensed Auctioneers | Developed & Marketing By, Bottom of silver trays, bowls, teapots and dishes, Bottom of candlesticks, figurines, vases and decorative pieces. Pieces for sale in England, as well as for export, must also have an English assay mark. Fig. The most significant change has been dropping the mandatory use of the passant lion as a standard mark. The 13 indicates silver purity, 13/16 lothig or .813, year 1753. 2023 Terry Kovel and Ralph & Terry Kovel & Kim Kovel. 13 Any mark applied by soldering a tab, disc or other shape is suspicious. Marks on precious metals have been regulated by law since ancient times. 5, is marked with the two hallmarks shown in Figs. The control mark, a set of scales, was adopted in 1976. Many centuries later, once Westerners got ahold of it, they knew it by the name white copper, translated from Mandarin and Cantonese. 35. It has long been used to fashion serving pieces, decorative items, jewelry, and a host of other goods. 11-12 and Figs. Antique Silver Hallmark Identification Forums. These symbols may be placed in any order. A treasonable offence in times when treason was punished by death. From this time, English silver was required to be at least 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals. [citation needed], While American manufacturers did not apply assay marks, city marks or date marks, they did apply a maker's mark. Additional types of objects made include keys, costume jewelry, zippers, wind instruments such as clarinets, sculptures and art pieces, and replica silver coins and bullion. About 50%-60% of the product line is based on reproductions of antique shapes such as sewing novelties, stamp boxes, pill boxes, chatelaines, and other shapes like the figural suitcase stamp box, Fig. A piece with both marks meets the requirements of both the EC and US, two huge markets. Ingot Bar is actually pure silver. WorthPoint is the largest resource online for identifying, researching and valuing antiques. The makers mark will never be recycled even if it falls out of use. Mackie marks his rings with one of two hallmarks. All 925 marks, whether standing alone or combined with other symbols as the above example, are very nearly a guarantee of a reproduction. $66.60. 8 - Any mark that is badly blurred or badly worn is suspicious. The collector in pursuit of sterling silver, or any solid silver item, should beware of any articles sold as nickel silver or German silver, for, again, these are not, in fact, real silver. Free Trade Symbol of Scales with 5-7 New silver whistle in Fig. Pressmarking is an automated form of hand marking but in the 21st century marking by laser is also an option. 32, 33). 925-1000 . 14 & 15 New 1-inch dia. The silver standard mark. There were other previous assay offices. They identify the metal alloy used as base metal for electro-deposition of silver. Post . The compulsory components of a hallmark are the Assay Office mark, a numerical fineness mark and a sponsor's or maker's mark. What is the Value of your Electroplated Nickel Silver collectibles? In your e-mail, please include as much of the following as possible. It is a comprehensive guide to historic silver patterns from a number of silversmiths and companies. etc.). Any item with this mark can be sold legally in England, Europe and US. The higher is 950 parts per thousand, or 95% silver referred to as 1st Standard. Loved for its strength and luster, EPNS has been applied to many different purposes, from homemade decorations to intricate jewelry to cutlery and tableware. Fig. Figs. Many of these marks appear in areas where no logical normal wear would occur. A typical hallmark on silver made in England for either export or sale in England. Our resources will help identify these. 37. (484) 973-6008 In addition . Examples include: When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. silver you will have an idea of what the weight should be, based on past London Date Letters 1696 - 1935 & Maker's Marks, Birmingham Date Letters 1773 - 1924 & Maker's Marks, Chester Date Letters 1701 - 1925 & Maker's Marks, Exeter Date Letters 1701 - 1883 & Maker's Marks, Newcastle Date Letters 1702 - 1884 & Maker's Marks, Sheffield Date Letters 1773 - 1916 & Maker's Marks, York Date Letters 1559 - 1858 & Maker's Marks, Edinburgh Date Letters 1681 - 1931 & Maker's Marks, Table of Glasgow Date Letters 1819 - 1896, Table of Dublin Date Letters 1700 - 1920. "Coin silver" is used for compounds that contain 90% pure silver. 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The Assay Office at Birmingham has an excellent page describing the anatomy of a hallmark. The best way to catch these carefully prepared forgeries is a side-by-side comparison. Here are some common marks on silver or silverplate - These marks mean the same standard as US silver prior to 1870-or 90% silver: COIN PURE COIN .900 These marks mean the same as a content of 92.5% silver: STERLING 925 These marks mean electroplated, developed in the US around the Civil War by William Rogers: EPNS Electroplate on Nickel Silver A silver plated item should not have a legal hallmark, as it will not be pure enough to be considered as silver. A small sampling that may help to identify the country of origin. This mark is referred to as a hallmark. To find Kovels silver hallmarks database, go to Look for your mark.Other articles and marks can be found inSilver and Other Metals identification guideand in the Article on Marks, and enter Silver in the filter. Because it resembles silver, at first glance, EPNS can be mistaken for solid silver, a fact upon which counterfeiters and other unscrupulous individuals rely. We will reach out to you ASAP with more details. . Between 1708 and 1853 the crown is often incorporated with the date letter struck on small objects. The head was encircled by a frame, optionally composed of convex, concave and straight lines. 16-18 REO is a silver wholesaler located in the US. Bottom of candlesticks, figurines, vases and decorative pieces. The directory of gold and silversmiths, jewellers and allied traders 1838-1914, Jackson's silver and gold marks 3rd edition, Marks of London goldsmiths and silversmiths, 1837-1914, https://guides.slv.vic.gov.au/hallmarking, Online encyclopedia of silver marks, hallmarks and makers marks, Finial antique silver spoon collectors magazine, The Goldsmiths' Company Ask-the Library service, Hallmarking Archive Scottish Goldsmiths Trust, Hallmarks England and specific towns such as, lion passant denotes silver marked in England, lion rampant denotes silver marked in Scotland, palladium indicated by the helmeted head of Pallas Athena. Same piece also available in brass (bronze). However, there are two silver hallmarks that have been discontinued: Since the year 1838, the French assay mark for items made of solid silver is the head of the goddess Minerva in profile. A hand indicates Antwerp, a spread eagle Germany or Russia. French silver also is punched with the mark of the maker, by law in the shape of a lozenge, usually with the maker's initials and a symbol. *It is possible for the item to be stamped with just a number to indicate its purity (e.g. But it is a general rule that virtually all pieces marked 925 or sterling 925 are modern. For Britain these included the Queen's Coronation (1953) and the Golden Jubilee (2002). Manufacturers change their marks over time but there are online resources that can help you to identify each hallmark. For coins, Since new molds are usually made by copying originals, marks on originals are usually transferred to the new molds. small sample scraped from a piece for purpose of assay. HOME; American Marks. Irish silver also contains the image of Hibernia. You must examine how marks are made as well as how the mark reads. 925, France Profile with Helmet and Marked 1 or You can also dent sterling a lot easier than HOME; American Marks. One is a simple JM inside a box (Figs. This is generally not done today. Fig. It was George Richards Elkington and Henry Elkington of Sheffield, England, who, in 1840, patented the modern process for producing electroplated nickel silver. The head of liberty indicated quality; a date letter, the arms of the city of Baltimore, and the makers initials or name were included. Silver products sometimes may be marked 925, which means that 925 parts per thousand are pure silver. This is a fantasy product. To use the ROM compare tool simply open ProECU, go to tools and select the Identify ECU tool. Analytical cookies collect data anonymously, about how visitors use our site and how it performs. Fortunately, most forgers don't have the time or the money to duplicate original vintage marks so they take shortcuts. PAJ is the mark of an unidentified maker/importer. Fig. experience. of dots to produce a rough surface. Import Marks page. Larger marks with several lines or large symbols, could be struck by hand or a machine press. As can be gleaned from the below examples, and as is the case with antique sterling silver pieces, electroplated nickel silver wares are habitually marked with the acronym EPNS., The characters EPNS BERNDORF are followed by a circle containing a sign, a square containing the capitalized initial B, and a rectangle encapsulating the word AUSTRIA., Here we have the name MELFORD and, below this, E.P.N.S., In this example, the name BENEDICT is preceded, on each subsequent line, by INDESTRUCTO, SHEFFIELD PLATE, E.P.N.S., MADE IN USA..