Exaclty dear Oel, take as well a look at pages 205 and 255-256 in the same book. Here comes the rest:
The Latvian L has exactly the same meaning as the Russian Cyrillic L ("
Л"). In addition there is a third mark meaning the same. That is the Polish owl mark. As I already stated a "Lombard" mark (historical: bank, pawn shop..). All marks are punched on objects that were put on public sale by officials, pawn shops, banks, private organizations etc. to guarantee the legal fineness. These organizations presented the object for mentioned reasons to the assay office in order to have them marked legally. They could then sell them or put them on official auction.
It was a as well a guarantee for minimum fineness standard on unmarked objects tested by the assay office. It was forbidden to sell unmarked gold or silver objects in Russia. In this case the official hallmark was punched with the "
Л". It was by law forbidden for the assay office to punch the hallmark if the object didn't already have a maker's mark. If only a hallmark was punched it indicated import. To avoid misunderstandings the "L" was punched beside the hallmark indicating the object being Russian made irrespective of the missing maker's mark. A private person who wished to have an object in his possession tested for silver could ask the assay office to punch a sole
Л only. It could, however, not be sold officially but today you might stumble into such an object, unlikely but possible.
The text above tells a bit more what the text below states. In general the main idea is the same
Both marks main purpose is to guarantee legal minimum fineness in both Russia and Latvia.
What Leistikow writes on page 307 in Baltisches Silber regarding Latvia is correct but only a part of the whole story. That I have told above!
PS Leistikov??? Annelore Leistiko
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