What are the 5 standard silver marks?

There are 5 standard marks found on British Silver:

• The walking lion for all sterling silver made in England.
• The standing lion for all sterling silver made in Glasgow.
• The thistle for for all sterling silver made in Edinburgh.
• The crowned harp for all sterling silver made in Dublin.

How do I identify a silver hallmark?

Silver hallmarks are one of the most important factors in identifying antique silver jewelry, flatware, and other items. These small stamped symbols on the back or underside of silver items can tell you the purity of the silver, the manufacturer of the piece, and sometimes even the date it was made.

What do the symbols mean on silver?

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.

How do you read British silver marks?

The mark for sterling silver is the lion passant or the lion passant guardant. Both look like a lion in profile. On earlier pieces of silver the lion is looking toward you, and this is a lion passant guardant. If your item is Scottish it will have a thistle as the standard mark.

How do you identify a hallmark?

The four components of a hallmark are: the sponsor or maker’s mark, the standard mark, the assay office mark and the date letter for the year. Hallmark identification should answer four important questions – where; what; when; who. Where? Locate the assay office.

What does 3 crowns mean on silver?

Salad sets in this style are most often silver plate. If the salad set bears a three crown mark that looks like this then it is solid silver of at least 830 fineness.

How can you tell if something is solid silver or silver plated?

Check the colouring of the item carefully; genuine silver is generally less shiny and colder in tone than silverplate. If you see places where the silver appears to be flaking off or turning green, the item is silver plated.

How do you test silver at home with vinegar?

Some people try to save money by using vinegar instead of acid but vinegar won’t give you accurate results. For this test, you just put a drop of acid on your silver item. If the acid turns the wrong color then it’s fake. If it turns the correct color then the silver is real.

How can you tell how old silver is?

Your silver will have a hallmark called a date letter. This marking will tell you when it was produced. However, the date letters used differ depending on where the silver was assayed. For example, the date letter for 1898 in London is a lowercase c, but in Sheffield, it’s a lowercase f.

What markings are on real silver UK?

There are five standard marks used in British and Irish silver:

• A walking lion marks all sterling silver made in England.
• A standing lion marks all sterling silver made in Glasgow.
• A thistle marks all sterling silver made in Edinburgh.
• A crowned harp marks all silver made in Dublin.

How do you read British hallmarks?

READING BRITISH SILVER HALLMARKS

1. THE ESSENTIAL POCKET REFERENCE.
2. STEP 1 – LOOK FOR THE STANDARD MARK.
3. STEP 2 – LOOK FOR THE TOWN MARK.
4. STEP 3 – LOOK FOR THE DUTY MARK.
5. STEP 4 – LOOK FOR THE DATE LETTER.
6. STEP 5 – LOOK FOR THE MAKER’S MARK.

What does EP with a crown mean on silver?

a generic mark for Electro Plated, often used together with a “crown”

How can you tell if something is solid silver or silver-plated?

How do you clean silver that has turned black?

If you have to deal with stubborn built-up tarnish on your silver jewellery prepare a thick paste from baking soda and lukewarm water. Apply it onto the tarnished spots with a damp cloth. Leave it for 2-3 minutes then gently rub with soft cloth. Don’t rub too hard to avoid scratching the surface.

Does silver have to be stamped in UK?

UK law requires any sterling silver product over 7.78 grams in weight to be hallmarked by one of the four UK independent Assay Offices. A hallmark is not be to confused with a manufacturers ‘925’ stamp.

What number is stamped on silver?

925
International sellers of silver will stamp silver as 925, 900 or 800.” These numbers indicate the level of purity of the silver. Sterling silver has a purity of 92.5 percent or higher.

What is WP on a silver spoon?

Re: William Page Silver Teaspoon WP within a diamond shaped shield / a cross surmounted on a dagger within an oval shield / three balls within a circular shield / a wheatsheaf within an oval shield / Rd within a diamond shaped shield (Design Registration Mark). Tea Spoon Place of origin: Birmingham (made) Date: circa.

Can you clean silver with Coke?

Simply pour the coke into a bowl and submerge your silver into it. The acid in the coke will quickly remove the tarnish. Keep an eye on it – just a few minutes should be enough. Rinse with warm water and dry carefully with a soft cloth.

Does vinegar harm silver?

Like lemon juice, vinegar is acidic, which results in a chemical reaction when it contacts tarnished silver.

What is Exeter maker’s marks?

Exeter Maker’s Marks This page of Exeter Maker’s Marks is organized alphabetically by the first letter in the mark. This is an open ended project, new marks are continually added. { note – Many British makers’ marks, especially in the 18th & earlier 19th centuries, are nearly identical.

What are some of the hallmarks of Exeter?

Exeter Hallmarks. The Exeter assay office was established by Act of Parliament in 1701. It became the assay office of choice for the goldsmiths and silversmiths, not only of Exeter itself, but also other parts of Devon and the neighbouring counties of Dorset, Somerset and Cornwall. The Exeter town mark is based on the arms…

What does the Exeter Town Mark mean?

The Exeter town mark is based on the arms of the city, being variations on a triple-towered castle. The first date letter, A, continued in use until 7th August 1702. The date letter changed either on the anniversary of that date or on the day of election of new wardens for the following year.

When did the Assay Office close in Exeter?

Exeter Hallmarks The Exeter assay office was established by Act of Parliament in 1701. The first date letter, A, continued in use until 7th August 1702. Assaying declined during the third quarter of the 19th century and the assay office finally closed in 1883.