Hallmark

Hallmark - (Silver) The particular mark of the Assay Office at which a piece of plate is assayed. Makers' marks and date letters are not, strictly, hall-marks. Hall-marks were introduced in England in 1300 when the Wardens of the London Goldsmiths were ordered to assay and mark with a leopard's head all plate before it left the goldsmith's hands. The purpose was to indicate quality and prevent fraud. In 1363 it was decreed that all goldsmiths should have a mark. At first emblems, these makers' marks became the two first letters of the surname in 1696, and from 1739 onwards they became the initials of Christian and surnames. Date letters were introduced (in London) in 1478. See Britannia and Sterling Standard. The London hall-mark is the leopard's head. Others: Birmingham, an anchor; Sheffield, a crown; Newcastle on Tyne, at first a single castle and then (from about 1672) three castles (the Assay Office closed in 1884); Exeter, a Roman 'x' in various forms at first, then from 1701 a triple-towered castle (Office closed in 1882); Chester, from 1686 three wheat sheaves with a sword, from 1701-80 the three lions of England impaling three wheat sheaves, then three wheat sheaves with a sword again; York, from 1559-1698 the mark has been described as 'half leopard head and half flowre-de-layce', and from 1700 a cross charged with five lions passant (the Office closed in 1857); Norwich, until 1624 a castellated tower over a lion passant guardant, then a rose crowned (Office closed 1697); Edinburgh, a triple-towered castle; Glasgow, tree, fish and bell; Dublin, harp crowned. In some towns silversmiths were allowed to apply town marks themselves; it was customary to use the town arms. Plate so marked has been identified as coming from the following cities and towns: Bristol, Carlisle, Gateshead, Hull, King's Lynn, Leeds, Leicester, Lewes, Lincoln, Poole, Plymouth, Shrewsbury, Taunton.