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Sterling Silverware Mark Identification

Throughout history silver has always been favored over all other precious metals for articles of personal use. Gold is twice as heavy as silver, which makes it less practical and less affordable. England was the first country to produce more fine silver with practices, methods and customs place on its silver craft.

The Assaying of Silver
- English culture and influence spread throughout the world. King John in 1300 asked a band of German immigrants to refine silver to purity for silver coinage purpose. The group called themselves the Easterlings because of where their home was located. In 1343 the assay was set at .925 parts to 1000 and the two letters EA were dropped. The application of the word "sterling" was applied.
Hallmarks and Marks
- There is a difference between a hallmark and a mark. A mark is a trademark that the manufacture places on its items. The hallmark is a mark that is the characteristic or trait of the item.
Sterling Silverware Marks
- The assay office establishes the hallmarking of precious metals to verify the content of the metal. The amount of precious metal affects the cost of the item, and the higher the precious metal content, the more craft the silversmith brings to the item. On sterling silverware both the hallmark and the mark need to be presented.
England
- England established the marking of all sterling silverware. The lion passant was adopted as the official stamp in 1544 to represent the purity of .925 silver. The act of 1363 stated that every Master should have a mark of his own that is to be impressed on each piece after the assayed mark. After 1629 a third mark appeared, which was the date mark.
American Sterling Silverware
- Marks on American silverware consist of the maker's mark, which is almost always the initials or full name of the maker. Occasionally a standard mark might be used. Along with the maker's mark the word sterling is also marked to indicate the purity of metal.

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