how to research a silver mark

[admin]

Members,
A month or so ago, in response to user feedback, I added the following bit of text to the main British Hallmarks page.

There is a logical progression to reading a set of British hallmarks, following this order will save you some time and confusion in your research.
1. Establish that it has one of the Silver Standard Marks, if not it is likely silverplate or from a different country.
2. Locate and identify the City Mark
3. Note whether it has a sovereign's head Duty Mark - or not. The sovereign's head, or lack thereof, will narrow the date range.<br>
4. Having identified the city mark, click on the link to it's date chart and find your Date Letter
5. Identify the Maker's Mark, they are listed by city and in alphabetical order by the first initial.

Having read each of the 23,000 + posts on this forum, I've noted that silver novices here, understandably, tend toward similar patterns of confusion and share a lot of common misconceptions.
To address this, I'd like to add a guide to the website, basically a set of instructions on how to use it efficiently and aimed at the user who comes here holding a piece of marked silver and has absolutely no knowledge of the subject.

Suggestions on what should be included would be much appreciated.
Many thanks,
Tom
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[Hose_dk]

when you stated that is not brittish - world hallmark is a good place to visit. Get an idea "Is it one of the listed" much more easy to get in right section.
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[Doos]

Hi,

Maybe to not start seeing things one wants to see.
For heirlooms: check provenance of the item (where was grandma born, did he/she travel a lot, did it come from a wealthy descend etc.)
People also tend to think the item is older than it is ("been in the family since I can remember" is not the best clue).
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[JLDoggett]

Possibly combine the World Hallmarks page (which is very informative but could be expanded slightly to include added pictures of say: other marks for Mexico, the eagly outlines with numbers and their initials with the numbers) with the Overview page, reducing the steps needed to see examples to compair to what they have in their hand.

Otherwise I have always found the site so well constructed that I have sent a link to it to many who have called my shop with questions. I suppose I should just link to it from my own site.
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[2209patrick]

Hi Tom.

Often the first question novices have is whether it's solid silver or silverplate.
Maybe start the guide off with marks that generally indicate silverplate ?
EPNS, EPBM, EPBP, EPC, EPGS, A1 and silvered soldered for Great Britain and the U.S.A.

Add a link to Bahner's excellent explanation of European silverplate marks with two digit numbers.
http://www.925-1000.com/a_platenumbers.html



Pat.
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[JLDoggett]

How about a check-list page for folks completely new to researching silver. IE ( this is just a rough list done in a couple of minutes but properly worded and with the correct links, most could follow it):

Does your piece appear to be solid silver or are there places where a base metal is showing through?

Turn your piece over and see if it has marks on the bottom, if not look all over the piece for small stamped symbols and/or letters.

Do you know any of the history of the piece? If no start with item 1 below

When your family acquired it? Where your family lived in the past. This will give you an starting place:
http://www.925-1000.com/enyc_Overview.html

To narrow your search ask yourself these questions and follow the links. Read all the questions first then go to a link.

1. If it says Sterling go here:
http://www.925-1000.com/americansilver__Menu.html

1A. It it has sterling and or just one letter stamp look under initial marks, Remember the last letter in the stamp will usually be the last name and the listing is by last names. Ititials joined with an ampersand (&) will be listed by the first initial:
http://www.925-1000.com/americansilver__Init.html
1b: if it has a sterling stamp and a pictural mark look here:
http://www.925-1000.com/americansilver__Icon.html

2. If your piece is not marked Sterling and has only letter and symbol stamps, try here first:
http://www.925-1000.com/british_marks.html

2A. if it does not appear to be Brittish try here:
http://www.925-1000.com/foreign_marks.html

3: If it is appears to be stamped in a non-western language go here:
http://www.925-1000.com/foreign_marks.html

4. If your piece shows area of wear with a different metal showing through try here:
http://www.925-1000.com/silverplate__menu.html
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[admin]

Hi All,
Many thanks for the great input. I hope to hash out the guide in the next couple of weeks and will include just about everything suggested above.
Before I set to work on compiling it, one last appeal for ideas.
If you are an old hand, think back to when you started and let us know what blind alleys you spend a lot of time in.
If you are a novice let us know where you are having trouble.
Regards, Tom
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[JLDoggett]

When I was an apprentice the jeweler I worked under thought it was good for me to learn the Brittish Hallmark system, but he added a piece of Gorham to the pieces I had to look up... I spent hours trying to puzzel that out! He let me in on the fact that you almost never find a Brittish piece marked "sterling".
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