Chats on Old Silver E-Book

Arthur Hayden

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• Sprache: Englisch
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Beschreibung

With Frontispiece And Ninety-Nine Full-Page Illustrations Together With Illustrated Tables Of Marks The study of old silver usually begins when the inquiring possessor of family plate sets himself the task of ascertaining the date and the probable value of some piece long in his family and possibly lately bequeathed to him. In dealing with the subject of old silver in a volume of this size sufficient details have been given to enable the collector to identify his silver if it be in the main stream of silversmiths’ work. On the whole, except where it is necessary in certain fields to illustrate the only examples, sumptuous specimens have been avoided in the illustrations as being outside the scope of this volume and the public to whom it is intended to appeal. The excellence of a piece of plate is governed by the same laws which control all other branches of decorative art. It is, therefore, my hope that this volume will stand as an authoritative outline history of the subject of which it treats, that it may point the way to possessors of old silver to arrive at sound conclusions as to their heirlooms, and that it may indicate to collectors the salient features of their hobby.  

Leseprobe

Arthur Hayden

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Table of contents

I

VII. THE FOREIGN MARK

CHAPTER III

SALE PRICES

SALE PRICES

CHAPTER XI

II

INDEX

I

Title: Chats on Old Silver Author: Arthur Hayden Language: English

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CHATS ON OLD SILVER

BOOKS FOR COLLECTORS

With Frontispieces and many Illustrations.

CHATS ON ENGLISH CHINA. By Arthur Hayden.

CHATS ON OLD FURNITURE. By Arthur Hayden.

CHATS ON OLD PRINTS. (How to collect and value Old Engravings.)By Arthur Hayden.

CHATS ON COSTUME. By G. Woolliscroft Rhead.

CHATS ON OLD LACE AND NEEDLEWORK. By E. L. Lowes.

CHATS ON ORIENTAL CHINA. By J. F. Blacker.

CHATS ON OLD MINIATURES. By J. J. Foster, F.S.A.

CHATS ON ENGLISH EARTHENWARE. (Companion volume to “Chats on English China.”)By Arthur Hayden.

CHATS ON AUTOGRAPHS. By A. M. Broadley.

CHATS ON PEWTER. By H. J. L. J. Massé M.A.

CHATS ON POSTAGE STAMPS. By Fred. J. Melville.

CHATS ON OLD JEWELLERY AND TRINKETS. By MacIver Percival.

CHATS ON COTTAGE AND FARMHOUSE FURNITURE. (Companion volume to “Chats on Old Furniture.”)By Arthur Hayden.

CHATS ON OLD COINS. By Fred. W. Burgess.

CHATS ON OLD COPPER AND BRASS. By Fred. W. Burgess.

CHATS ON HOUSEHOLD CURIOS. By Fred. W. Burgess.

CHATS ON OLD SILVER. By Arthur Hayden.

CHATS ON JAPANESE PRINTS. By Arthur Davison Ficke.

CHATS ON MILITARY CURIOS. By Stanley C. Johnson.

CHATS ON OLD CLOCKS AND WATCHES. By Arthur Hayden.

CHATS ON ROYAL COPENHAGEN PORCELAIN. By Arthur Hayden.

CHATS ON OLD SHEFFIELD PLATE. (Companion volume to “Chats on Old Silver.”)By Arthur Hayden.

CHATS ON OLD ENGLISH DRAWINGS. By Randall Davies.

CHATS ON WEDGWOOD WARE. By Harry Barnard.

BYE PATHS OF CURIO COLLECTING. By Arthur Hayden.With Frontispiece and 72 Full page Illustrations.

LONDON: T. FISHER UNWIN, LTD. NEW YORK: F. A. STOKES COMPANY.

COFFEE-POT.

GEORGE II PERIOD, 1741.

Maker, Peter Archambo.

Frontispiece.

CHATS ON OLD SILVER

BY ARTHUR HAYDEN

AUTHOR OF “CHATS ON COTTAGE AND FARMHOUSE FURNITURE,” ETC.

WITH FRONTISPIECE AND NINETY-NINE FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS

TOGETHER WITH ILLUSTRATED TABLES OF MARKS

T. FISHER UNWIN LTD LONDON: ADELPHI TERRACE

First published 1915 Second Impression 1917 Third Impression 1919 Fourth Impression 1922 Fifth Impression 1925

( All rights reserved)

TO ALFRED DAVIES, IN REMEMBRANCE OF OUR FRIENDSHIP

PREFACE

The study of old silver usually begins when the inquiring possessor of family plate sets himself the task of ascertaining the date and the probable value of some piece long in his family and possibly lately bequeathed to him.

With old china, and probably with old furniture, the taste for collecting is oftentimes an acquired one, but it is in the Englishman’s blood to ruminate over his old plate, and the hall-marks of the assay offices in London and in the provinces, in Scotland and in Ireland, have been placed thereon with aforethought. The plate closet is cousin to the strong-box, inasmuch as the coin of the realm and gold and silver plate have been subjected to stringent laws extending over a period of five hundred years. The technical word “hall-mark” has become a common term in the language synonymous with genuineness. The strictest supervision, under the parental eye of the law, has upheld the dignity of the silversmiths guarantees. Hence the pride of possession of old silver. Pictures and furniture and engravings whose ancestry is doubtful thrust themselves in the market without fear of the watchful official eye. But old silver bearing the hall-marks of ancient and honourable guilds of silversmiths, stamped at the accredited assay offices, is, with few exceptions, what it purports to be. It is a proud record and a splendid heritage.

In dealing with the subject of old silver in a volume of this size sufficient details have been given to enable the collector to identify his silver if it be in the main stream of silversmiths’ work. On the whole, except where it is necessary in certain fields to illustrate the only examples, sumptuous specimens have been avoided in the illustrations as being outside the scope of this volume and the public to whom it is intended to appeal.

The collector of old silver must have a pretty taste and a fine judgment. It is not an absolute law that age determines beauty. Hall-marks, though they denote date, do not guarantee excellence of design. Everything that bears the hall-mark of the Goldsmiths’ Hall of London is not beautiful, whether it be old or whether it be new. The connoisseur must digest the fact that the assay marks of the lion, the leopard’s head, the date-mark, and the rest, are so many official symbols, accurate as to date and sufficient guarantee as to the standard of the metal, but meaningless in regard to the art of the piece on which they stand. The assay offices are merely stamping machines. What Somerset House is to legal documents so the assay offices are to silver and gold plate, and nothing more. Hence the necessity of placing such mechanical control under Government supervision.

The excellence of a piece of plate is governed by the same laws which control all other branches of decorative art.

Rarity is a factor not especially treated in this volume. Rare specimens are not necessarily beautiful even though they be unique.

In covering so wide a field in so small a volume, much has had to be omitted. There are many volumes on old English silver plate, but in regard to research, the work of Mr. C. J. Jackson, “English Goldsmiths and their Marks,” with over eleven thousand marks, stands alone and supplants all other volumes. Every collector must regard this work as the bible of silver-plate collecting.

I have given sufficient space to marks in the present volume to indicate those used by the London and other assay offices. Some marks are given which do not appear elsewhere, and the arrangement of the tables should enable the beginner to come to a definite conclusion as to the date of his silver. In especial, the Table of variations in the shapes of shields in the hall-mark and standard-mark employed at the London Assay Office from the accession of Queen Elizabeth to the present day, is a feature not before given in so concise a form in any other volume.

The marks on silver are stamped, the design thus appears in relief, while the edges of the shield on which it appears are sunk. The reproduction of this has offered a difficulty in illustration in all volumes on old silver. To print black letters or designs on a white background, although easy, is unsatisfactory. On the contrary, to print the raised design in white on a dead black background is not a realistic presentation of the mark as it appears to the eye. After many experiments I have reproduced the marks in a manner more closely approaching their actual appearance, and less suggestive of black-and-white designs on paper.

I have to express my thanks for the kind assistance I have received in regard to photographs and wax casts and drawings of marks, and for permission to include them in this volume as illustrations, to the following: the authorities of the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum, and the Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh. By the courtesy of the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers and the Worshipful Company of Mercers I am enabled to reproduce some fine examples from their Halls. To Lord Dillon I am indebted for his courtesy in allowing the inclusion of an interesting example in his possession.

Messrs. Crichton Brothers have afforded me access to their records, including the use of copyright photographs of specimens which have passed through their hands, and courteous assistance in reproducing examples in their possession. Messrs. Elkington & Co., and Messrs. Garrard & Co., have similarly extended to me their practical aid; Messrs. John Ellett Lake & Son, of Exeter, have enabled me to do justice to the art of the Exeter silversmith, and Messrs. Harris and Sinclair, of Dublin, have enriched my chapter on Irish silver. I have also to acknowledge the kindness of Messrs. Carrington & Co. for the Frontispiece and for the fine design of an Irish Dish Ring shown on the cover. Mr. A. E. Smith, my photographer, has given exceptional care in obtaining good results.

It is, therefore, my hope that this volume will stand as an authoritative outline history of the subject of which it treats, that it may point the way to possessors of old silver to arrive at sound conclusions as to their heirlooms, and that it may indicate to collectors the salient features of their hobby.

ARTHUR HAYDEN.

January 1915.

CONTENTS

PAGE PREFACE11LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS19CHAPTER I THE MARKS STAMPED UPON SILVER 23CHAPTER II ECCLESIASTICAL PLATE 65CHAPTER III THE MAZER, THE STANDING CUP, THE FLAGON, THE TANKARD, THE BEAKER, THE WINE CUP 83CHAPTER IV THE SALT CELLAR 139CHAPTER V THE SPOON 177CHAPTER VI THE POSSET-POT, THE PORRINGER 195CHAPTER VII THE CANDLESTICK 221CHAPTER VIII THE TEAPOT, THE COFFEE-POT, THE TEA-CADDY 239CHAPTER IX THE CASTER, THE SUGAR-BOWL, THE CREAM-PAIL, THE CAKE-BASKET 267CHAPTER X THE CREAM-JUG 299CHAPTER XI SCOTTISH SILVER 311CHAPTER XII IRISH SILVER 329 APPENDIX, CONTAINING TABLES OF DATE LETTERS. LONDON (1598-1835) 347

TABLE OF DIFFERENCES IN SHIELDS. LONDON (ELIZABETH TO GEORGE V)

357

ILLUSTRATIONS OF MARKS: LONDON, PROVINCIAL, SCOTTISH, AND IRISH

359INDEX411

ILLUSTRATIONS

George II Coffee Pot, 1741. Maker, Peter Archambo. Frontispiece PAGE Chapter II.—Ecclesiastical Plate

Elizabethan Chalices

67

Elizabethan Chalice; Charles I Chalice

71

Charles II Cup; William III Flagons

75

Charles II and Queen Anne Patens

79

George II Communion Cup

81Chapter III.—The Standing Cup, the Flagon, the Tankards, the Beakers, and the Wine Cup

Mazer, with inscription dated Exeter, 1490

87

The Leigh Cup and Cover, 1499

91

Cup and Cover, 1585

95

Stoneware Jug with Silver Cover and Foot, 1570

95

The Samuel Pepys Standing Cup and Cover, 1677

99

Flagon, 1572; Flagon, 1599

105

Tankards, Charles II, 1679, and William III, 1701

111

Charles II Tankards, York, 1684

111

Queen Anne Tankard, Exeter, 1705

115

Mug, 1733, and Tankard, 1748, Exeter

117

Beakers: James I, 1606; Charles I, 1631; Charles II, 1671

121

James I Wine Cup

125

Stuart Wine Cups; Seventeenth-century Candlestick

129

“Monteith” Punch-bowl, 1704

135Chapter IV.—The Salt Cellar

Hour-glass Standing Salt Cellar, 1500

143

Bell-shaped Salt Cellar, 1601

147

Circular Salt Cellar, 1638

151

Octagonal Salt Cellar, 1679, “The Sumner Salt”

155

Lambeth Delft and Rouen faience Salt Cellars

161

Group of Small Circular Salts, Queen Anne, George II, and George III

165

Salts with Glass Liner, George III

167

Group of Oblong Salts with three feet, George III

167

Group of Salt Cellars, George III, showing transition

171

Group of Salt Cellars, George III, George IV, and William IV

173Chapter V.—The Spoon

Seventeenth-century Spoons

181

Seventeenth and Eighteenth-century Spoons

185

Seventeenth and Eighteenth-century Spoons

189 Chapter VI.—The Posset-pot and the Porringer

Commonwealth Porringer, 1653

197

Charles II Posset-pot and Cover, 1662; Porringer, Silver-gilt, 1669

197

Charles II Porringer, 1666

201

Charles II Posset-cup and Cover, 1679

201

Posset-pot and Cover, 1683

205

Charles II Porringer, 1672

209

Queen Anne Porringer, Exeter, 1707

209

James II Posset-cup and Cover, 1685

213

Staffordshire Earthenware Posset-cup, dated 1685

213

Plum Broth Dish and Ladle, 1697

217Chapter VII.—The Candlestick

Charles I Candlestick, 1637

223

Lambeth Delft Candlestick, dated 1648

223

Charles II Candlesticks, 1673

227

Snuffers and Tray, 1682

231

Candlesticks Queen Anne, 1704, 1706; George I, 1721

231

Candlestick, Sheffield, 1782

235Chapter VIII.—The Coffee-pot, the Teapot, the Tea-caddy

Coffee-pot, Newcastle, 1737

243

Teapot (Honourable East India Company), 1670

243

Teapot, 1745

247

Kettle, with Stand and Spirit-lamp, 1746

251

Group of Coffee-pots and Teapots

255

Tea-caddies, Exeter, 1718; London, 1730

259

George III Tea-caddies

259

Pair of Tea-caddies and Sugar-box, 1760

263Chapter IX.—The Caster, the Sugar-bowl, the Cream-pail, the Cake-basket

William III and Queen Anne Casters, 1701 and 1712

269

George II Caster, Exeter, 1728

273

Group of Casters, William III, George II, and George III

277

Centre-piece, 1761

279

Centre-piece, 1775

279

Sugar-bowl, Classic Style, 1773

283

Sugar-bowl, Pierced Work with Glass Liners (late Eighteenth Century)

285

Cream-pails, 1776, 1782

285

Bread-baskets, 1745 to 1775

289

Cake-basket, 1761; Wedgwood Cake-basket

291

Wedgwood Earthenware Dessert-baskets

295 Chapter X.—The Cream-jug

Jug, Paul de Lamerie, 1736

301

Group of Cream-jugs, George I and George III

305

Group of Cream-jugs, late George III

309Chapter XI.—Scottish Silver

Scottish Quaich, Edinburgh, 1705

313

Mug, Edinburgh, 1790

313

Sugar-caster, Edinburgh, 1746

317

Coffee-pot, Edinburgh, 1769

321

Tea-urn, Edinburgh, 1778

325 Chapter XII.—Irish Silver

Caster, Dublin (George Lyng), 1699

331

Loving-cup, with harp handles, Cork, 1694

331

Centre-piece, Dublin, 1740

335

Cream-jug, signed by Jonathan Buck, Cork, 1764

339

Cream-jug, Dublin, 1740

339

Cream-pail, Dublin, 1770

343 Appendix to Chapter I

Alphabets of Date Letters used at London Assay Office

347-355

Table showing variations in Hall and Standard Marks

357

Series of Examples of London Assay Marks

359-385

Series of Examples of Provincial Assay Marks

387-399

Series of Examples of Scottish and Irish Assay Marks

401-409

THE MARKS STAMPED UPON SILVER

I. THE HALL-MARK II. THE STANDARD MARK III. THE DATE MARK IV. THE MAKER’S MARK V. THE HIGHER STANDARD MARK VI. THE DUTY MARK VII. THE FOREIGN MARK APPENDIX TO CHAPTER ( pp. 347-409) Illustrations of typical Marks

VII. THE FOREIGN MARK

CHAPTER I

THE MARKS STAMPED UPON SILVER

I. The Hall-mark. Its significance—The hall-mark compulsory by law—Various hall-marks.— II. The Standard Mark. The silver standards—The Lion passant (England), the Thistle (Scotland), and the Harp (Ireland).— III. The Date Mark. The alphabets used by the various assay offices.— IV. The Maker’s Mark. Initials of surname—Later usage, determined by law, initials of Christian and surnames.— V. The Higher Standard Mark. The lion’s head erased and the figure of Britannia (compulsory from 1697 to 1720, optional afterwards).— VI. The Duty Mark. The reigning sovereign’s head from George III to Victoria (1784 to 1890).— VII. The Foreign Mark. Foreign silver plate assayed in the United Kingdom to bear an additional mark.

I. THE HALL-MARK

This is the mark stamped upon gold or silver plate by a recognized guild, and signifies that the object so stamped has successfully passed the assay applied to it to determine its quality. British hall-marks possess a reputation which they undoubtedly deserve. “In this country the system has existed substantially in its present form since the reign of Edward I.” [1] In this reign, under statutory authority, it was laid down that all silver made in England was to be as good as the silver coin or better, and provincial silversmiths (one from each centre) were to proceed to London to have their work assayed and have the mark of the leopard’s head stamped upon it. For six centuries the hall-mark of the wardens of the “Mistery of Goldsmiths” of the city of London has stood as a guarantee of value, and is intended to afford sufficient protection to the purchaser.

This hall-mark, or town mark as it came to be known later, denotes the place where the assay was made. It was struck on all such articles as would bear the “Touch”; this is the technical term synonymous with assaying. As will be seen subsequently, the hall-mark does not stand alone. Very early it was deemed expedient to stamp some further mark, which should denote the date when the piece was actually assayed at the hall or assay office.

This second assay mark, or warden’s mark, is known as the date letter.

The Company of Goldsmiths in London, incorporated by charter in 1327, possessed plenary powers which they exercised with considerable rigour. They framed stringent regulations determining trade customs, they kept a watchful eye on recalcitrant members who showed any tendency to lower the dignity of the craft, and they punished with severity all those who counterfeited the official marks of the hall.

This dominance over the everyday transactions of the worker in plate was supported by a series of Acts of Parliament extending over a lengthy period. They are highly technical, and the study of hall-marks is of a complex nature, and adds no inconsiderable task to the hobby of collecting old silver. In the main it will be seen that the power at first exclusively conferred on the London Goldsmiths’ Company, and afterwards distributed to various assay offices in the United Kingdom, has been kept under due subjection by the Crown and by parliamentary legislation. There is no trade more protected by Acts of Parliament governing the details of its procedure. The fashioning of gold and silver plate being so intimately related to questions of currency and affecting the coin of the realm, it is not surprising to find that the tendency of legislation has been to relieve the old guilds of much of their former power. We find that one of the recommendations of the Select Committee of the House of Commons on hall-marking, in 1879, was that the whole of the assay offices should be placed under the supervision of the Royal Mint, in order that a uniform standard of quality should be guaranteed.

We have seen that the London assay office is the doyen of assay offices. At first, plate, although wrought elsewhere, had to bear the London hall-mark of the leopard’s head. Seven cities were appointed, by a statute of Henry VI in 1423, to exercise the right of assaying plate, viz. Salisbury and Bristol for the West Country, Newcastle and York for the North Country, Coventry for the Midlands, Lincoln and Norwich for East Anglia, and London, of course, continued its functions.

Eighteenth Century Assay Offices

At the beginning of the eighteenth century three out of these seven, Lincoln, Salisbury, and Coventry, had discontinued to assay silver, and it was not thought necessary to reappoint them. In 1700 York, Bristol, and Norwich were, in the reign of William III, reappointed for assaying and marking wrought silver. By the same Act, 12 William, cap. 4, two new assay offices were appointed, Exeter and Chester, and in the beginning of the following reign by 1 Anne, cap. 9, Newcastle was also reappointed. At the end of the eighteenth century, in 1773, two additional assay offices were created at Birmingham and at Sheffield by 13 George III, cap. 52. London, during all this time had continued to assay silver in unbroken continuity from the fourteenth century.

It has been estimated by those who have a large quantity of old silver plate passing through their hands, that, in spite of the number of provincial assay offices, over 90 per cent. of old English silver bears the London hall-mark.

The Hall-marks of the Various Assay Offices

In the Appendix ( pp. 347-409) are illustrations showing the various hall-marks used at different periods by the wardens and assay masters of the appointed cities. The following indicate the chief marks used. London (the leopard’s head, sometimes like a king on a pack of cards, and later, when uncrowned, like a tiger’s head). Chester (an upright sword between three wheatsheaves). Newcastle, closed in 1884 (three castles set in a shield, two over one, similar in arrangement to the Chester wheatsheaves). Exeter, closed in 1883 (early mark letter X with crown above. After 1701 three castles, sometimes joined together as one castle with three towers, similar to Edinburgh mark). Norwich (castle above with lion beneath; the castle is less like a castle than any other of the castle marks). York, closed in 1856 (early mark a fleur-de-lis, showing only half, the other half undecipherable, conjectured by some authorities to be a rose, by others a leopard’s head; this latter is now accepted as correct, and clearly shows in some examples; later mark shield with cross of England and five lions). Birmingham (an anchor), Sheffield (a crown), Edinburgh (a castle with three towers). Glasgow (a tree with a bird perched on top, and a tiny bell suspended from boughs, a fish transversely across the trunk). Dublin (figure of Hibernia since 1730). Cork (ship and castle, two marks).

The Varying Number of Marks Used

It is an interesting fact, and extremely puzzling to beginners in the study of hall-marks, to find that the provincial offices used, in addition to their own place-mark, the leopard’s head of the London assay office. From 1697 to 1719 the leopard’s head disappears from all silver, for the reason which is given in detail in Section V of this chapter—“The Higher Standard Mark” ( pp. 49-59). In its place two other marks occur—the lion’s head erased and the figure of Britannia. These were only used in London between the years 1697 and 1701, during which five years provincial offices ceased to assay any silver. This is a hiatus in provincial marks which the beginner should note. From 1701 to 1719 the provincial offices used their place-marks together with the two new marks (the lion’s head erased and the figure of Britannia), which were compulsory by law. This law was repealed in 1719 and London reverted to the old style mark of the leopard’s head, so that London-marked silver of 1720 is marked with the same number of marks as that before the Act of 1697, that is four marks. But it appears that the provinces for a long period did not revert to the old style of marking. Newcastle, for instance, adds the leopard’s head from 1720 in addition to her town mark; Exeter similarly took the leopard’s head in 1720. Chester also added another mark, the leopard’s head, at the same time.

The result of this is that before 1701 Chester had four marks, sometimes only three, but after 1720 five were used; when the duty mark was added (see p. 395) six marks were employed. The leopard’s head was not discontinued till 1839, reducing the marks to five, and now, since the abolition of the duty mark in 1890, there are only four. Exeter had, with the use of the leopard’s head, five marks, but in 1748 the leopard’s head had disappeared. Newcastle continued the leopard’s head during the period of the duty mark, thus making six marks, till the closing of the office in 1884.

II. THE STANDARD MARK

Throughout the history of the manufacture of English silver plate the standard maintained has been always equal to that of the silver coinage, and sometimes higher. The control of the standard has long been in the hands of the State, and, it has already been shown, the proving or assaying of all articles, in order that they may be officially stamped as of sterling silver, was allocated to the wardens and assay masters of the London and other assay offices. Obviously if it had been permitted to manufacture silver plate at a lower standard than the coin of the realm, the latter would have been melted down to be made into plate at a profit. In order to regulate the uniform procedure of the trade throughout the country the amount of alloy to be added to silver was very clearly laid down by law. The standard for silver has been in force for six hundred years, since the reign of Henry II, viz. 11 oz. 2 dwts. of silver and 18 dwts. alloy in every pound troy of plate; that is 925 parts of silver in every thousand parts. From the year 1697 to 1720 the standard was fixed at 11 oz. 10 dwts. of silver to the pound troy, that is ·958. This higher or “Britannia” standard is described in Section V of this chapter ( pp. 49-59). In regard to this new standard, that is a standard above the sterling of the coin of the realm, special marks were used during the above period and have been used since then to the present day whenever silver plate is of the new standard. It was illegal to make silver plate of less than this new standard during the period 1697 to 1720; after this period there are two standards, the higher being optional.

Another period when silver plate was higher in standard than the silver coin of the realm was during a portion of the reigns of Henry VIII, the whole of the reign of Edward VI, and the whole of the reign of Mary, until Elizabeth in the second year of her reign elevated the debased coinage to its former standard of fineness. In 1543 Henry VIII reduced the standard from 11 oz. 2 dwts. to 10 oz.; that is, ten parts of silver to two parts of alloy. In 1545 he reduced it further to 6 oz. in the pound troy, that is half silver and half alloy. In 1546 he made a still further reduction to 4 oz., so that silver coins of that period contain only one third silver. In 1552 this was increased to 11 oz. 1 dwt., to be reduced to 11 oz. in Mary’s reign. During all these changes the silver plate remained true to its old standard, and as though in proud superiority over the coin of the realm, the London Goldsmiths adopted in 1545 as a standard mark a new stamp— the lion passant, which has been their standard mark from that day to the present time, and has been recognized by many statutes since that time as constituting the standard mark, or sterling mark of the State, or, as it was termed at the time of Queen Elizabeth, “Her Majesty’s Lion.”

On two occasions, therefore, the silver plate of this country was of finer quality than the coin of the realm: on the first when the coin of the realm was debased, and on the second when silver plate was compulsorily raised to a higher standard than the coin of the realm.

The lion passant, which is the standard mark, has naturally been employed by provincial offices as a guarantee of sterling or standard silver. During the period 1697 to 1720 the lion passant disappears from all silver in the “Britannia” standard period when other marks were substituted. But in 1720 the lion passant mark occurs again on all London silver, and in Chester, Exeter, York, and Newcastle marks. From 1773 both Sheffield and Birmingham have used the mark of the lion passant. In regard to Scotland, the standard mark for Edinburgh, after 1757, is a thistle, and for Glasgow a lion rampant after 1819. The Irish standard mark is a harp crowned from the year 1638, which mark is on all Irish silver assayed at the Dublin office. From 1730 the figure of Hibernia has been the duty mark and the harp crowned the standard mark on all Irish silver assayed at Dublin. These marks are shown in Appendix ( pp. 347-409).

III. THE DATE MARK

Among the various marks used for the purposes we have indicated, the date mark is one which has a vital significance. It establishes with certainty the year in which a piece of silver was fashioned and taken to the assay office to be stamped as sterling silver. The easiest plan in regard to date marks would have been to stamp the actual date upon each piece of silver or gold assayed, but this was too simple a procedure for the “Mistery of the Goldsmiths.” They employed alphabets of various styles and each year was represented by a different letter, and to add further to the puzzling difficulty of deciphering these symbols, certain letters were omitted. Moreover, each assay town has its own series of date marks. Letters of the alphabet are used sometimes from A to T, or A to U, or from A to Z; sometimes the letters J and V are omitted, and in one case for a considerable period the letters of the alphabet were used indiscriminately. Various kinds of type were used and they appear in shields of differing shapes. The study therefore of the date marks of the London assay office and of the various provincial assay offices together with the date marks used in Scotland and in Ireland is very intricate, and the determination of these with exactitude might occupy a man the greater portion of his life. The standard work on the subject is “English Goldsmiths and their Marks,” by Mr. C. J. Jackson, which contains over eleven thousand marks reproduced in facsimile. Mr. Jackson in the 1905 edition had worked for seventeen years at this subject, and his labours have been stupendous; a new edition shortly to appear will represent a quarter of a century’s work. There is no other book on the subject within measurable distance of this encyclopaedia.

It is obvious that in the present volume only a limited number of marks can be illustrated, but the author has given typical examples covering the London marks, which are the most important, and a few examples from most of the provincial assay offices as well as from Scotland and Ireland. These will be found in the Appendix ( pp. 347-409).

London

The Goldsmiths’ Company of London has an honourable and ancient history and must be regarded as the leading spirit in regard to hall-marks. It is admitted that, from a public point of view, the hall-marks stamped on silver by the various assay offices have a very definite meaning. “Our hall-marks afford a guarantee of value to which, it is not to be wondered at, considerable importance attaches, since these goods may safely be regarded as an investment.” The true function of the Goldsmiths’ Company is a protective one—protective in the interests of honest traders, protective in the interests of public buyers. We suggest that they might perform an educational service by throwing open their assay office to public inspection. Neither the Royal Mint nor the Bank of England may be said to be an inaccessible holy of holies. The assaying of silver and gold is a process which affects the pocket of the public to a large extent.

As custodians of historic archives of no insignificant value, there is no reason why such records should not be as readily accessible to the general student as are the papers in the Public Record Office which divulge bygone State secrets. Possibly if the assaying were placed under Government supervision, as has so often been strongly advocated, these things might come to pass.

In regard to data undoubtedly the Goldsmiths’ Company can claim an ancient record. They are proudly jealous of their reputation and rightly anxious to guard the public interest. There is no doubt that “the laws of hall-marking, scattered as they are over a multitude of statutes, are highly technical, and not the least necessary reform is their consolidation.” The Goldsmiths’ Company was once a trade guild, but this is the twentieth century, and they exist solely in the public interest. To-morrow they could be swept aside by an Act of Parliament, and all silver could be assayed and stamped at the Royal Mint or by Government assayers.

In regard to the date letters the London Assay Office has consistently, with one exception, 1696, adhered to twenty letters in each alphabet, that is from A to U (omitting J). But the provincial offices were wofully erratic and exhibit a looseness and want of system in not adhering to the same arrangement of alphabets in succeeding periods. It is not necessary to follow these eccentricities in detail, a few examples will suffice. Newcastle from 1702 to 1720 employed the alphabet as follows:—A (1702), B (1703), D (1705), F (1707), M (1712), O (1716), P (1717), Q (1718), D (1719), E (1720). Some of these were used for more than one year. In the next two periods, 1721 to 1739 and 1740 to 1758, the alphabet ends at T. Later alphabets run to Z. Chester employed an alphabet sometimes ending in X, sometimes in V, and sometimes in U, and one series runs from A to Z (excluding J) from 1839 to 1863.

The result of the somewhat chaotic alphabet marks has been to focus the attention of the collector too much on this particular side of the subject. The identification of marks, the outward symbols of time and place, have reduced the study of old silver to a somewhat lower plane than it should occupy by right. It is proper that such determining factors should have their place, but not the first place. There was a time when china collectors ignored paste and glaze and laid particular stress on marks, and it is a very happy accident that a great portion of English porcelain and much of English earthenware is unmarked. It has eventually led collectors to think for themselves and know something more of the technique and to learn to appreciate the artistic value of specimens of the potter’s art coming under their hand.

The collector of old silver, however, cannot hope to escape from marks; they are an integral part of the subject, and coming as they do under the strict surveillance of the law, they offer protection to his investment and have the comforting assurance of gilt-edged security. There is nothing of the subtle speculation as to exact period which accompanies the acquisition of old furniture, nor is there the same element of chance which governs the operations of the picture collector. The hall-mark, the standard mark, the date mark, and the maker’s mark stamped with mechanical precision proclaim “with damnable iteration” the string of unalterable facts.