Best Reference Book(s) on British Sterling Makers Marks?

[blackice1981]

Hello everyone! Does anyone have any favorite reference books on British Sterling Makers Marks? I want to bulk up my reference library a little. Looking for references on Antique (Georgian, etc) up to Modern. I have good references on dating & assay marks, just need references for makers marks. Thanks & Best Regards, Paul

[Granmaa]

For the budding collector "Jackson's Hallmarks pocket edition" is very good with a small list of maker's marks for all the assay towns.
For a larger list of maker's marks go for "Jackson's Silver and Gold Marks". However, this does not treat London silversmiths past 1840.


Here is a good review site for silver books:

http://www.antiquesilverspoons.co.uk/spoon%20book%20intro.htm

Miles

[nigel le sueur]

l agree with the above inculding the link,if you are lucky and willing to dig deep London Goldsmiths 1697-1837 Their marks & lives by Arthur G Grimwade is the best for London, but not easy to obtain. For patterns and good info ian Pickfords "Silver Flatware English lrish & Scottish 1660-1980 which although out of print (l think) is quite obtainable from out of print booksellers on the internet

Nigel

[blakstone]

Grimwade is indespensible. I would also recommend (and probably in this order):

John Culme, "Directory of Gold & Silversmiths, Jewellers & Allied Traders 1838-1914" (Woodbridge, Suffolk: Antique Collector's Club, 1987) [covers London makers 1838-1914]

Kenneth Crisp Jones, "Silversmiths of Birmingham and their Marks: 1750-1980" (London: N.A.G. Press, 1981) [covers Birmingham marks 1750-1980, but only silversmiths - goldsmiths and jewelers, alas, are excluded.)

B.W. Watson, "Sheffield Assay Office Register" (Sheffield: J.W. Northend, 1911, rpr. 1989.) [covers Sheffield marks, 1773-1907]

Alas, these are (I think) all out of print and can be very pricey if you find them. Still, I do a lot of appraisals and auction cataloguing and with these three - along with Jackson and Grimwade - I can identify easily 98% of the British silver I see.

[Scotprov]

Also, if you want to identify the crests on items Fairbairn's Book of Crests is very useful. Hunt around and you can still find them.
Being sneaky, if you are interested in Scottish Provincial silver there is my "Directory of Scottish Provincial Silversmiths & their Marks which lists well over a thousand marks from the minor Scottish towns over the last 300 years, and that is available.