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Hello I just have a general question ::: A few times I have noticed Irish Silversmiths whose works are stamped with Non-Irish Assay Marks ::: Specifically I have noticed the mark of Sharman D. Neill makers mark with a Chester Assay Mark ::: Also I have noticed a Royal Irish Silver Company makers mark with a Birmingham hallmark (it could have been London now that I think about it but it most certainly did not bear Irish Assay Marks) :::

Anyway, the general question is why do Irish Makers Marks sometimes have the Non-Irish Assay Offices on them? I am specifically asking about Irish Silver although this general question could be extended to all the other Makers/Assay Offices as well.

I have just noticed this with a couple of Irish Makers, so I just thought I would start the discussion with Ireland.

Thanks In Advance!

If you think of the maker's mark as a sponsor's mark perhaps some possible answers might pop up. For example Sharman D Neill may have commissioned silver from a Birmingham manufacturer who had it assayed at Sheffield using Neill's mark. Looking at Ridgway & Priestley's book on Chester silver I see that they note that Neill's mark was sent to the Chester Assay Office for registration by several Birmingham manufacturers at different times including Deakin & Francis, Stokes & Ireland, Blanckensee & Sons and Payton, Pepper & Co, all of them prolific manufacturing silversmiths. The same thing has no doubt occurred with the Royal Irish Silver Co. Much of their output has Sheffield hallmarks, but, as you mention, their mark is also seen with London and Birmingham marks.

Phil

Yes I recall reading about why the phrase "Sponsor's Mark" is more accurate than the phrase "Maker's Mark," there was a lot of very precise and accurate information contained in that article, I believe it was archived here, I will attempt to find it ::: Thank you for your prompt response :::