Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-03-02
EnGI. ISL HALL MARKS
The True Ones Are The Leopard
and the Lion.
LEGACY OF THE MIDDLE AGES

@E1AGI VI Tt MlDULE AlES
The System Invented by the Gold
smiths Company of London Is a
Lasting Index to the Age and Gem
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 silyersmiths and their pri-
yate marks. IS
In 1887 King Edward LII. granted q
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 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 leopard's head was
used first from 1900, and in 1916 lion
PEASANT was added. These marks were
punched into the metal with die, the
animal appearing in shield or oblong
field.
Until 1850 small crown appeared
over the lion; from 1867 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 piece
Of silver when the date mark is indis-
tinct. The date letter or year mark
system seems to have been definitely
settled about 1913. for, although there
was an alphabetical system more than
fifty years before, it is customary to
90 back to 1913 as an accurate starting
point
Charles IL raised the standard Of the
metal, and in 1895 the new quality was
given a new mark, Britannia sitting In
an oblong puncheon, with a lions
head erased. The standard was found
70 be too soft for practical purposes.
however, and In 1870 there was re-
turn to the old and present standard
OF metal, with the leopard's head and
the Hon passant. Naturally these Bril-
tannia pieces ara rare.
3 Makers began to use their private
marks about 1868. AT first they used
the drst two letters Of the surname.
About 1Ts9 the initials were substitut-
Cd. For example, prior to this date
Paul Lamerie's mark was La. After
ward 1t became p. i.
Thus were four marks on the silver
up TO 1854 leopard's head, lion, date
letter and makers mark. In 1854 the
sovereign's head was added the gov
ornamental customs mark making Ave
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
z punche0n following its outlines until
1878, when It began to appear in q
symmetrical shield OF Ave sides.
In 1896 the head was reduced some
what In size In 1720 the leopard lost
his beard and his shield became OBJ
long, and In 1923 his crown was taken
away from him. These were all Lon
don marks. There were ID addition
provincial marks. The Edinburgh hall
mark dates from 1857. It was triple
turreted castle or tower. The stand
ard mark was q thistle, which was
substituted for the assay masters ini-
tails Ia 17b7. The date letter cycles
began In Edinburgh IN 1881. 4:
Y Glasgow had curious emblem-a
tree with bird In the top, a bell hang
ing from one branch and a fish across
the trunk. stamped in an oval punch
con. The Sheffield and Birmingham
hall marks were crown and an an.
chor respectively, with the lion passant
as the standard mark. Dublin had d
crowned harp.
s Now. to go back to the subject OF
date marks, cannot do more than
barely indicate what there IS IN the
subject for those who wish to 90 into
II seriously. Different cities or halls
had different year marks. I will deal