Lookup

Pottery Marks and Silver Hallmarks

Pick the mark or maker. Each page describes the mark in words, shows how it changed by period so you can date a piece, and lists the fakes and look-alikes. Photograph the mark with low side light; the app matches it and these pages let you check the date.

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How to read a mark

Material first: "Sterling", "925" or a lion passant means solid silver; "EPNS", "A1", "Quadruple Plate" or "Silver on copper" means plated.
Then the maker: a name, initials or a pictorial device (Gorham's lion, anchor and G; Meissen's crossed swords).
Then the date: British silver carries a date letter; many potteries changed their backstamp every few years, which is what the period lists on each page are for.
Pattern and shape numbers are not dates.

Pottery and porcelain marks

Sterling silver makers

Silver plate marks

Marking systems

FAQ

What does EPNS mean?

Electro-plated nickel silver: a base metal alloy with a thin layer of silver deposited on it. It is not solid silver. See the EPNS page.

How do I read British silver hallmarks?

Look for four marks: the standard mark (lion passant for sterling), the assay-office town mark (leopard's head for London, anchor for Birmingham, rose for Sheffield), a date letter, and the maker's initials. The date letter's style and shield change each cycle, so it has to be read against the office's table.

Can the app identify a mark from a photo?

It suggests the likely maker or marking system from a sharp, well-lit close-up. Confirm against the period list on the page, because many marks were used for a century or more with small changes.

Sources

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