Chester bookmark Date? Makers Mark? Help?!!

OddSterling · Post by **OddSterling** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 9:57 pm

Hello,

I recently bought this silver bookmark and can't seem to figure out the date. I have a feeling that with my luck it is probably fairly new but one can only hope it's very old.

Can anyone help me out with the date mark? It kinda looks like 1730, or 1905, but I can't seem to find any resources that provide the latest date marks.....e.g. after 1960 to present. If I've missed something on this site that will provide that info, I apoligize for posting too soon.

If anyone knows the makers mark, that would be a bonus!!

Any help would be appreciated,

B

Click to Enlarge Images

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carling · Post by **carling** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 1:38 am

The maker is Charles Horner assayed in Chester 1905.

Regards/carling
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carling · Post by **carling** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 1:42 am

This is the page on this site that you need:

http://www.925-1000.com/british_marks.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Chester Assay Office closed in 1962.
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OddSterling · Post by **OddSterling** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 8:11 am

OOooohhh, Thank you very much. For some reason I just thought the dates given were the only dates the site had. I didn't realize those were the dates that particular office was in service.

Thanks so much. 1905 huh? That is one of the dates I was wondering about. Thank you so much Carling. I learned a few things now already today.

thanks,

B
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OddSterling · Post by **OddSterling** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 8:16 am

Wait a minute....I have a few other pieces of british sterling with date marks and for the 1905, the date mark has that little...."point" in the center of the date field at the bottom. My piece here in question doesn't even have the suggestion of one. What do I do about that? I know that sometimes the points are left off on say the city mark field, but the one on the date mark is pretty important. Is it left off of it sometimes as well?

Thanks,

B
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carling · Post by **carling** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:00 am

Do you mean the straight and bracket bases to shields? Since 1839 both styles of shield were in use for the sterling mark and since 1900 for the date letter as well. Charles Horner first registered his mark at the Chester Assay office on December 2, 1884.

Regards/carling
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OddSterling · Post by **OddSterling** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 11:54 am

Well, you certainly know your stuff. Thank you. Ummm, I believe to answer your question about straight and bracket bases...Yes? If you look at the date letter of 1905 in the link you posted above. There is a "point" in the middle of the bottom portion of the date letter. I assume that is a bracket then? I thought that was an important way to identify the date. NO? I thought some years they used a "bracket" and some years they didn't. Some years all four corners were "cut off" some years only three were. I obviously need to learn more.

I am not assuming that my bookmark is older or arguing with you in any way. I am only trying to learn here. Please take my questioning in that way please. I find this a lot of fun and like the sterling pieces.

Thank you very much for your help,

B
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carling · Post by **carling** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 5:53 pm

Here's a scan and close-up of the explanatory footnote in Bradbury's Book of Hallmarks (page 58) I referred to above:

Regards/carling

OddSterling · Post by **OddSterling** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 7:27 pm

Thank you VERY much!!

Bradbury's sounds like something I really should get. Thanks for helping out a newbie. Now I need to look back at a few other things I've acquired over the years and see if I dated them right. :)

The help is greatly appreciated.

B
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