When was the foreign mark added to sterling silver?
The Custom Act of 1842 ordered that imported gold and silver couldn’t be sold in Great Britain and Ireland unless it had been assayed at a British Office. In 1867 the Foreign Mark was introduced adding an “F” to the appropriate British hallmark. Foreign mark on London 1880 hallmark, importer Gustave Guilaudet
Where does the journeyman Mark come from in sterling silver?
A special Assay Office mark was introduced to be used in the addition to the annual date letter, while the “F” mark was omitted. . . The word journeyman comes from the French word journée, which means a period of one day. It refers to the right the journeyman had to obtain a reward for each day’s work.
What does the maker’s mark on sterling silver mean?
Only for a short period (1696-1719) the maker’s mark was formed with the first two letters of silversmith’s surname. Various fonts, sizes and outlines were adopted to differentiate the marks of silversmiths having the same initials. The Sovereign’s Head demonstrates the payment of the duty on the piece bearing it.
How are sterling silver marks regulated in England?
In England the craft was regulated by the Guild of Goldsmiths at London and in Ireland by the Guild of Dublin. In Scotland the craft was theoretically supervised by the Edinburgh Goldsmiths’ Incorporation, but in practice its influence outside the capital was limited and a plethora di unofficial Scottish Provincial marks was created.
When did Gorham start using sterling year marks?
When Gorham adopted the sterling standard in 1868, they began a system of year-marks which were stamped into their products to denote the year in which they were made. Starting with A for 1868, letters of the alphabet were used until 1884 (Q). From 1885 until 1933 a different symbol was used each year.
Where was the first Gorham silver plate made?
Gorham silverplate (from c. 1867) GORHAM IN THE UK Gorham Mfg Co acted as importer in the UK and, later, sponsor/maker of sterling silver ware manufactured in the UK. Their first English agency has been opened in London in 1894 (32 Essex Street, Strand).
Who are the owners of Gorham sterling silver?
Gorham is now (2020) property of Lifetime Brands, Inc. owner of other historic brands as International Silver, Kirk Stieff, Poole, Towle Silversmiths, Tuttle and Wallace. Gorham Mfg Co acted as importer in the UK and, later, sponsor/maker of sterling silver ware manufactured in the UK.
Where are the letters on a Gorham Hallmark?
The panels on each side of the central panel are inclosed by a series of central lines, the points of intersecation of the lines being within a circle. The panel on the left of the central panel has on it the representation of a lion, and the panel on the right of the central panel has the capital letter ‘G’ in old English.
