Smyrna times., 1907-02-27
ENGLISH HALL MARKS
The True Ones Are the Leopard
and the Lion.
LEGACY OF THE MIDDLE AGES
The System Invented by the Gold
smiths Company of London Is
Lasting Index to the Age and GEN.
uineness of Old Silver Articles.


uineness of Old Silver Articles.
Every mark on your old silver means
something, and if you care to be sure
about its age or maker a study of
these marks and the system is essen
tial. A record has been kept at Gold
smiths hall, London, for five centuries
of all annual date letters and of the
registered silversmiths and their pri-
vate marks.
In 1887 King Edward Ill. granted a
charter to the Goldsmiths' guild. Dur
Ing the reign of Edward ". the Gold
smiths Company of London, as it
came to be known, invented and put
into practice an alphabetical system of
marks, changing each year. There
were similar codes in the provincial
assay offices.
This system is one of the few be-
quests of the middle ages which have
stood the test of time practically with
out change. By the provisions of this
system we have not only a lasting in
dex by which to judge the age of gold
and silver, but We have a guarantee of
genuinenesS.
Neither the date marks nor makers
marks are hall marks, properly speak
ing, though all marks ON silver are
commonly referred to as hall marks.
The true hall marks are the leopard
and the lion. The leO9ard's head was
used first from 1900, and in 1915 lion
passant was added. These marks were
punched into the metal with die, the
animal appearing in a shield or oblong
field.
Until 1850 small crown appeared
over the lion; from 1857 to 1850 the
puncheon followed the outline of the
lions body; after that the lion appear
ed ON an oblong shield. These various
forms of the hall mark indicate certain
broad periods and are sometimes help
full In determining the age of a piece
of silver when the date mark is indis-
tinct. The date letter OF year mark
system seems to have been definitely
settled about 1918, for, although there
was an alphabetical system more than
fifty years before, it Is customary to
go back to 1918 as an accurate starting
point.
Charles II. raised the standard of the
metal, and in 1895 the new quality was
given new mark, Britannia sitting in
an oblong puncheOn, with a lions
head erased. The standard was found
to be too soft for practical purposes,
however, and in 1920 there was re-
turn to the old and present standard
| of metal, with the leopard's head and
the lion passant. Naturally these Bri-
| tannia pieces are rare
| Makers began to use their private
marks about 1868. At first they used
the first two letters of the surname.
About 1739 the initials were substitute
ed. For example, prior to this date
Paul Lamerie's mark was La. After
ward it became p. L.
! Thus were four marks on the silver
up to 17S4-leopard's head, lion, date
letter and makers mark. In 1884 the
sovereign's head was added-the gov
ernmental customs matchmaking five
punches in all. There were changes
from time to time in the fixed hall
marks which are worth noting. For
example, the leopard's head was set in
puncheon following its outlines until
1913, when it began to appear in q
symmetrical shield of five sides.
In 1896 the head was reduced some
what in size. In 1920 the leopard lost
his beard and his shield became OBJ
long, and in 1923 his crown was taker
away from him. These were all Lon
don marks. There were in addition
provincial marks. The Edinburgh hal
mark dates from 1457. 1t was tripl,
turreted castle or tower. The stand
ard mark was thistle, which wa!
substituted for the assay masters ini
tials in 1857. The date letter cycle
began in Edinburgh in 1851.
Glasgow had curious emblem
tree with bird in the top, bell hang
ing from one branch and a fish acros
the trunk, stamped in an oval puncI
, con. The Sheffield and Birmingham
| hall marks were a crown and an al
chor respectively, with the lion passan
, as the standard mark. Dublin had
crowned harp.
Now, to go back to the subject G
date marks, / cannot do more tha
barely indicate what there is in th
subject for those who wish to go int
: 1t seriously. Different cities or hal
: had different year marks. 1 will de;
e only with the London marks, as bein
: by far the most important.
r Each year had assigned to it a lie
g ter of the alphabet, which was stam
o ed on every piece of silver made ,
7. sold III London that year. When ii
r alphabet was used up they went baC
t to A again, taking usually slight
e different form of letter. These alph
Is bets stopped at the letter U, so tn
l. each of these cycles is an even TWEEN
If years in length.
Is One way of counterfeiting old sily
is to make perfect copy of an o
piece in some alloy and give it thit
coating of silver by the modern ele
troplate process. Such counterfeits a
treated slSillfullV hall marks and :