YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

1941

HALL MAKES

ON
(JOLD AND SILVER PLATE,
WITH
TABLES OF ANNUAL DATE LETTERS
j,'" EMPLOYED IN THE PRINCIPAL
ft* ...-.
ASSAY OFFICES OF ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, AND IRELAND,
FJKOM THE EARLIEST PERIOD OF THEIR USE TO THE PRESENT DAT J
WITH EXTBACTS PBOM THB STATUTES AND OEDINANCBS BEGUILING THE
MANUFACTUBE AND STAMPING OP THE PEECIOUS MBTALSi' <
TO WHICH ARE ADDED,
MG-SIMILES OE THE STAMPS ON STANDARD PLATE
OF ENGLISH AND FOREIGN MANUFACTURE.

W, CHAFFEKS, F.S.A.,
AUTHOR OF " MARKS AND MONOGRAMS ON POTTERY AND PORCEIiAIN."

THIRD EDITION.

LONDON:
J, DAVY & SONS, 137, LONG ACRE.
GlD.IOCCCLXVIII.

[ENTERED AT STATIONERS' HALL.]

J. Dayy & Sobs, Printers, 137, Long Aore, London.

PREFACE.

The Tables of Assay Office Letters here given will be found
more complete than any hitherto published. Of those which
have already appeared, the first (printed about twenty years
since) was a short list of alphabetical letters from the year
1697; but they were badly formed, and printed without being
compared with the actual marks on plate.
Mr. Octavius Morgan, in 1853, produced an improved table
of the Annual Assay Office Letters of the Goldsmiths' Hall of
London, tracing them back to the fifteenth Century, and care
fully comparing his lists with the marks on plate, consulting
also the Records and Minutes of the Goldsmiths' Company for
confirmation. He tells us that from the year 1558 regularly
formed escutcheons were used to enclose the letters, but unfor
tunately he did not show us what their forms were, only giving
the letters.
I have endeavoured to supply this defect by placing each
letter in its proper shield, — a most important aid in determining
the date of a piece of plate, where alphabets of different dates
are similar.
Some years since I also printed a small sheet of Assay Office
Letters ; all these are now out of print, and, at the request of
numerous friends, I have been induced to publish one on a more

IV

extended scale, embracing the Marks used at the principal Assay
Offices of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
Although a great proportion of the plate made in England was
stamped in London, yet other towns, from an early period, had
the like privilege. Scotland also had its Assay Office in Edin
burgh, and I am enabled, through the perseverance and untiring
zeal of Mr. J. H. Sanderson, of that city (in carefully consulting
the Eecords of the Goldsmiths' Company, and comparing them
with pieces of old Scotch plate), to give a correct Table of the
Assay Letters used there from the year 1681. I take this oppor
tunity of thanking him for his trouble and kind assistance.
In Ireland, the principal Assay Office was at Dublin, and the
Corporation of Goldsmiths of that city, through their Master,
Edmond Johnstone, Esq., liberally granted me permission to
examine their Eecords, and, with the assistance of Mr. Thomas
Ryves Metcalf, their Clerk (who furnished me with extracts from
the local Acts by which they are governed), I am enabled to give
a list of Assay Office Letters used there since 1646.
Impressions in wax or gutta percha of early stamps on ancient
plate, especially those with engraved dates of presentation, will
be very acceptable, that the blanks in the earlier Cycles may be
filled up satisfactorily.
W. CHAFFERS.
19, Fitzroy Square,

HALL MAEKS ON PLATE,
FROM THE
XIII. TO THE XIX. CENTURY.

TABLE OF STATUTES AND ORDINANCES
REFERRED TO IN THIS BOOK.

A.D.

A.D.

1238.

22 Henry III. cl. m. 6.

1687.

Charter of James VII

1300.

28 Edward I. c. 20.

(Scots).

1327.

Charter 1 Edward III.

1697.

8 and 9 William III. c. 8

1336.

Ordinance of the Gold

1698.

9andlOWilliamIII.c.28

smiths' Company.
1700.
12 William III. c. 4.
1363.
37 Edward III. c. 7.
1702.
1 Anne, c. 9.
1369.
43 Edward III. cl. m. 35.
1719.
6 George I. c. 11.
1379.
2 Eichard II.
1730.
3 George II. (Irish).
1392.
Charter 16 Richard II.
1739.
12 George II. c. 26.
1403.
5 Henry IV. c. 13.
1756.
29 George II. c. 14.
1414.
2 Henry V. c. 4.
1758.
31 George II. c. 32.
1420.
8 Henry V. c. 3.
1759.
32 George II. c. 14.
1423.
2 Henry VI. c. 14.
1773.
13 George III.
1457.
James II. (Scots).
1784.
24 George III.
1462.
Charter 2 Edward IV.
1785.
25 George III. c. 64.
1473.
James III. (Scots).
1790.
30 George III. c. 31.
1477.
17 Edward IV. c. 1.
1797.
37 George III. c. 90.
1483,
James III. (Scots).
1798.
38 George III.
1488.
4 Henry VII. Pari. 3, c. 2.
1803.
43 George III. c. 69.
1504.
Charter 20 Henry VII.
1804.
44 George III. c. 98.
1555.
Mary (Scots).
1807.
47 George III.
1573.
15 Elizabeth
1815.
55 George III. c. 185.
1576.
18 Elizabeth, c. 15.
1819.
59 George III.
1587.
James VI. (Scots).
1824.
5 George IV.
1597.
Goldsmiths' Company Re
1825.
6 George IV.
^
cords.
1836.
6 William IV.
v1638.
Charter, of, Charles, I.
1844.
5 and 6 Victoria, c. 47.
(Irish).
1845.
7 and 8 Victoria, c. 22.
1675.;
Goldsmiths' Order.
1854.
17 and 18 Victoria.
r*T>
B
2

EXTEACTS FROM STATUTES AND ORDINANCES
REGULATING THE
MANUFACTURE AND STAMPING OP PLATE IN ENGLAND,
WITH EXPLANATORY NOTES.

Gold and Silver in a pure state would be too soft and ductile to
be employed either in the manufacture of vessels for ordinary use,
or for the coinage of the Realm ; it has accordingly been found
necessary to add a certain proportion of ihe baser metals to make
them sufficiently hard for the purpose. As this necessity de
teriorates the value, and as the goldsmith who manufactures them
into vessels must himself introduce the inferior metals, it will be
easily seen that a great means of deception is hereby placed in *ne
hands of a dishonest worker, which th© purchaser would not
(without some difficulty) be able to discover. Hence, from the
earliest times, a certain standard of fineness has been insisted on
by the laws of the land, any departure from which has been'visited
with severe penalties.
This introduction of inferior metals is called the allay or alloy,
and is supposed to be derived from a let loi, beingthe proportion
of silver or -copper, or 43oth mixed together, according to the law
regulating the standard. The author of the Touehstone for Gold
and Silver Wares, in 1667, says : " Our forefathers, considering
that silver in its finest degree would be toosoft for use and 'service
(for the finest silver is almost as soft as lead) did consult to reduce
or harden the silver, by alloying it witTi baser "metal, to such a
degree 'that it might be both serviceable in the works, and also in
the wearing keep in native whiteness."
The first instance on record of an attempt to reduce goldsmiths*
work to a certain standard, was in the reign of Henry III. a.d. 1238
(Claus. 22, Henry III. m. 6), when, in consequence of the frauds
which had -been practised by the gold and silversmiths, it became
necessary to prescribe some regulations for their trade, because
the mixing too much alloy in the composition ©f these wares
naturally tended to encourage the melting down ofthe coin ofthe
realm. It was therefore ordained that no one should use any gold
of which the mark was not worth one hundred shillings at i the
least, nor any silver worse than the standard of the- 'coins.
The assay of gold and silver is: said to have originated with the

Bishop of Salisbury, Royal Treasurer to Henry I., ,biit some sort
of tegt ,was adopted farom tho ^arliest times in this country, and
this .tpst was /probably by .means. of the touch : Jjhat is, by judging
of the quality of the metal when rubbpd.on a stone; this .method
is still in use for ordinary purposes, and a practised" eye can
immediately deteot the quantity of alloy by the shades of colour
of the metal so transferred to the touchstone.
The touchstone is a black stone of a. close, fine grain j the way
ib was used is -thus described in the Touchstone for -Gold and
^Silver Wares, a.d. 1667, [before quoted: "The way to make a true
•touch on jthe touchstone is ;this, rub the.gold or silver steadily
and very .hard upon the stone, .not spreading your touch above a
quarter of an inch long, and no .broader rthan the [thickness of a
five shilling piece of : silver, and so .continue rubbing until the
place. of Tthe stone whereon you rub be like the metal itself; and
when every sort is rubbed on(a|i the time you intend, wet all the
touched places with your tongue, and it will show itself in its own
countenance.-" In another plan for the trial of gold, two sets of touch needles
or bar,s were used, one ,set alloyed with copper, and the other with
silver, 24 in each set, according to the 24 carats fineness of gold.
The streak or iiouch of the piece to be examined was compared
with the .streaks made by the needles, being washed with aqua
fortis, .and thus its fineness was determined.
The assaying .of the precious metals was a privilege conferred
upon. the Goldsmiths' Company by the following statute : —
A.d. 1300. 28 Edwaed I., c. ,20, commonly called Art^cmfi super
cartas, "jit is ordained, that no goldsmith. of England, nor none
otherwhere within the Kings dominions, shall , from henceforth
aaaakeor cause to be. made any manner of vessel, jewel, or any
other thing pf gold or silver, except .it be. of 'the true allay, (that
is to say) gold of a certain touch, and silver of the sterling allay,
or of better at the pleasure pf him to whom the work belongeth ;
and that none work worse silver than money; and that no manner
pf vessel of silver depart out of the hands of the workers, until it
be assayed ,by the wardens of the craft; and further, that it be
-marked with .the leopard's head; and that they work no worse
goH-than,-o£-the touch of JP&ris ; _and that the wardens of Jhe craft
shajl go , frpm .shpp tp shop .among the . goldsmiths, to ass.ay, if
their gold be of the same touch that is spoken of beforp ; ^and if
b 2

they find any other than of the touch aforesaid, the gold shall be
forfeit to the king :* [and that none shall make rings, crosses,
nor locks :] and that none shall set any stone in gold except it be
natural; and that gravers or cutters of stones, and of seals, shall
give to each their weight of silver and gold as near as they can
upon their fidelity; and the jewels of base gold which they have
in their hands, they shall utter as fast as they can; and from
thenceforth if they buy any of the same work, they shall buy it to
work upon and not to sell again ; and that all the good towns of
England where any goldsmith be dwelling, shall be ordered ^,
according to this statute as they of London be; and that one
shall come from every good town for all the residue that be
dwelling in the same, unto London for to be ascertained of their
touch. And if any goldsmith be attainted hereafter, because that
he has done otherwise than before is ordained, he shall be punished
by imprisonment, and by ransome at the king's pleasure, &c.
The touch of Paris was referred to in this statute because there
were no English gold coins which could be made a standard for
the goldsmiths' work. The French coins of that time were of fine
gold. The touch of Paris therefore was as celebrated over Europe
as the sterling of England.
a.d. 1327. 1 Edward III., the first Charter to the Goldsmith's
Company bears date 30th March, and recites the deceits of the
cutlers, in " covering tin with silver so subtilly and with such
sleight, that the same cannot be discerned and severed from the
tin, and by that means they sell the tin so covered for fine silver,"
and empowers the Company to punish such offenders ; and " that
in all cities and towns in England where goldsmiths reside, one
or two of every such city or town, for the rest of that trade shall
come to London to be ascertained of their touch and there to have
a stamp of a puncheon of a leopard's head, marked upon their
work, as of ancient time it has been ordained."
The Company's Ordinances oj? the year 1336 enjoin, that none
do work gold unless it be as good as the assay of the mystery ; or
in silver, unless as good or better than the king's coin or sterling,
and that when done, it shall be brought to the Hall to be assayed,
and that such as will bear the touch shall be marked " with the
* That portion between brackets relating to rings, crosses and locks,
repealed 21 Jac. 28.

owners and sayers marks,, and afterwards be touched with the
Liberdshede crowned."
It will be observed here that three distinct marks are spoken
of — 1. The goldsmith's mark, viz., his initials; 2. The assay
mark, probably a letter of the alphabet; and 3. The mark of the
Goldsmiths' Hall, a leopard's head crowned.
a.d, 1363. 37 Edward III. c. 7. "Item, it is accorded that
goldsmiths as well in London as elsewhere within the realm, shall
mase all manner of vessels and other work of silver, well and
| lawfully of the allayof good sterling ; and every master goldsmith
shall have a mark by .himself, and the same mark shall be known
by them which shall be assigned by the King to survey their work
and allay ; and that the said goldsmiths set not their marks upon
their works, till the said surveyors have made their assay, as shall
be ordained by the King and his council: and after the assay
made, the surveyor shall set the Kings mark, and after the gold
smith his mark, for which he will answer ; and that no goldsmith
take for vessel white and full for the weight of a pound (that is to
say) of the price of two marks of Paris weight, but eighteen pence
as they do in Paris;* [and that no goldsmith making white vessel
shall meddle with gilding, nor they that do gild shall meddle to
make white vessel :] and they which shall be so assigned in every
town shall make their searches as oftentimes as shall be ordained;
and for that which shall be in the goldsmiths default they shall
incur the pain of forfeiture to the King, the value of the metal
which shall be found in default."
The laws which regulated the goldsmith's trade were rigorously
enforced, and we read (Cl. 43 Edw. III. m. 35) that William de
Mulsho and John de Newenham, in 1369, were commanded to
examine by the touch, or by other methods, certain vessels of
silver, and belts of gold, which William de Montacute, Earl of
Salisbury, had caused to be made by goldsmiths of London of less
fineness than the ordinance required, and to report the assay to
the King in chancery.
a.d. 1379. 2 Richard II. It was enacted by Parliament that,
whereas the gold and silver worked by English goldsmiths was
oftentimes less fine than it ought to be, because the goldsmiths
were their own assayers, from that time every goldsmith should
* This clause in brackets about gilding was repealed 21st Jac. 18.

6
have his' own proper marh up'oii his work,- and that- the assay of
touch should belong to the mayors and governors of* cities and
boroughs, with the assistance of the Master of the Minty if there
should be occasion ;' arid that the worh Should hear the m-ark of the
city ot borough where it was assayed.- And also that the King
should assign such persons as he should please to rnake the said
assay, as well in London as elsewhere, as often as should be
necessary; and after the assay should be made, to stamp the work
with another marh, to be appointed by the King, And it was
agreed that the ordinance should coirimenCe from the said feast of
St. John, and continue until the next Parliament, to try whether'
it would be advantageous or not.
a.d. 1392. 16 Richard II. Another Charter to the Goldsmiths'
Company bearing date the 6th of February of this year, granted
and gave licence to the men of the said craft of goldsmiths of the
City of London to be a perpetual Community Or Society of them
selves, and elect yearly out of themselves four wardens to oversee,
rule, and duly govern the said craft and community.
a.d. 1403. 5 Henry IV. c. 13. Recites, "That many fraudulent
artificers do daily make locks, &c, of copper and latten, and the
same do over gild and silver like to gold and silver, to the great
deceit, loss and hindrance of the common people, and the wasting
of gold and silver;" and ordains, "That no artificer, nor other
man, shall gilt nor silver any such locksj rings, beads, candlesticks^
harness for girdles (buckles), chalices, hilts nor pommels of swords,
powder boxes nor covers for cups, made of copper or latten, upon"
pain to forfeit to the King 100 shillings every time, and to inake
satisfaction, to the party grieved for his damages; but that
(chalices always excepted) the said artificers may work ornaments
for the Church of copper arid latter^ and the same gild df silver;
sb that always in the foot or some other part of sueh 6fnament
the copper and latten shall be plain, that a man may see whereof
the thing is made, for to eschew the deceit aforesaid."*
a.d. 1414. 2 Henry V. c. 4. Ordains, " That all goldsmiths of
England shall gild no silver wares but of the allay of the English
sterling, oh forfeiture to the King of the value of the thing sold."
* Louis XL King of France, in an ordinance to the goldsmiths of Tours,
January, 1470, authorizes them to employ only for ecclesiastical utensils, such as
reliquaries, &c, gold and silver of base alloy, which pieces were to be inscribed
" non venuridetur" to certify that they were not destined for commerce.

A.D,., I42.Q., § He^ry, V. Q. 3,.. Ordains,. " That nonp shall gild
any sheaths, nor mptal but silver and Church ornaments, j nor
shall silver no metal but, Knight's spurs, and all the. apparel that
pertaineth to. a Baron, and above that estate ; upon pain of for?
feiture to the King ten times as much as the thing so gilt is of
value, and shall have one year's imprisonment."
Thi,s statute seems, to have been made because the two last were
found ineffectual to prevent frauds. •
a.d, 1423. 2 Henry VI.. c. 1,4. " It was ordained that np
goldsmith or worker of silver within the City of London sell no
Workmanship of silver, unless it be as fine as tiie sterling ; and
that no goldsmith, nor jeweller, nor any pther that worketh
harness of silver, shall set. any of the same to sell within the city,
before that it be touched with the touch, and also with a mark or
sign of the, workman of the. same, upon pain of forfeiture of the
double value thereof. And that the mark or sign of every gold
smith be known to the wardens of the praft, And if it may be
found that the said Keeper of the Touch touch, any suck harness
with the leopard's head, except it bp as fine in allay as the sterling,
that then he shall forfeit for every thing so proved, the double
value to the King, and to the party who shall prove it* And it is
also ordained that in the city pf Yprk„ Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
Lincoln, Norwich^ Bristol, Salisbury and Coventry, there shall be
divers touches, according to the ordinance, of Mayors, Bailiffs, or
Governors of the said, towns. And that no gpldsmith, nor other
workers of silver^ nor Keepers of the sa^d touches, within the said
towns, shall set to sell, nor touch any silver in other manner than
is ordained before within, the Qity pf London, ,upon pain of tke
said forfeiture,"
a.d. 1462. 2 Edwaed IV, Another Charter to the Goldsnuths'
Company in Londpn bears date 30th May, and grants finder al/ia}
as follows ;-r- i
" The Wardens and Commonality and their successors for ever,
the search, inspection, trial, aud regulation of all sorts of gold and
silver wrought^ or to be wrought, and- to be exposed to sale within
the City of London and the suburbs thereof, and in all fairs and
markets, and all cities, towns and boroughs, and all other places
whatsoever throughout our Kingdom of England ; and also shall
have power to punish and correct all defects that shall be found in
the working of gold and silver," &c.

8
a.d. 1477. 17 Edward IV. A statute made in this year recites
the Act of 2 Henry VI. above quoted, which ordained that gold
smiths' work of silver should be as fine as sterling, and that it
should be marked with the touch of the leopard's head. And as
that Act had been daily broken by goldsmiths and other workers
of silver, the fineness of the gold wares was fixed at 18 carats, and
the silver at the same as sterling, on pain of forfeiture of the
double value : arid further enacts that no work of silver should be
exposed to sale, within the City of London, or two miles of the
same, until it had been marked with the touch of the leopard's head
crowned, and also with the mark of the worker of the same. This
Act continued for seven years, and was afterwards re-enacted for
twenty years in 1489, and again for twenty years in 1552, by
Edward VI.
a.d. 1488. 4 Henry VII. parl. 3, c. 2, sets forth, "That it was
of old time used and continued till now of late years, that there
was, for the avail of the King and the Realm, Finers and Parters
of gold and silver by fire and water, under a Rule and Order
belonging to the Mints of London, Calais, Canterbury, York, and
Durham, and other places where mints be holden, and at the
Goldsmiths' Hall in London, to fine and part all gold and silver,
belonging and needful for the said Mints and Fellowship of Gold
smiths, for the amendment of money and plate of the realm : that
everything might be reformed to the right standard, as well in
money as plate, to the least cost, for the weal of the King's
noblemen of the land and common people. But now that such
finers and parters dwell abroad in every part of this realm, out of
the Rules aforesaid, and buy gilt silver from the mints, changes
and goldsmiths, and part and fine it; and for the most part of the
silver so fined, they do allay in divers manners : and sell it to
every man that will buy of them, to make such works as pleaseth .
the buyers ; therefore man can get no fine silver, when they need
it, for their money, for the amendment of money and plate as hath
been in times past, wherefore it causeth money and plate, in
divers places of the realm, to be made worse in fineness than it
should be, as it appeareth evidently in divers places, to the great
hurt of the King's noblemen and common people." And enacts,
" That no Finer nor Parter of gold and silver allay any fine silver
or gold, ne none sell in any otherwise, ne to any person or persons,
but only to the officers of mints, changes, and goldsmiths within

9
this realm, for augmentation and amending of coin and plate ; ne
that no Finer nor Parter sell to no person any manner of silver in
mass, molten and allayed, on forfeiture of the same, — one half to
the King, and the other half to the finder, that can prove and will
sue for it in the Exchequer."*
a.d. 1504. Another Charter granted to the Goldsmiths' Company
bearing date 3rd February, 20 Henry VII., mentions "that divers
persons in divers parts of this Kingdom do work and expose to
sale- gold and silver wrought worse than standard, and neither
fear nor doubt to be punished; as due search, or due punishment,
is seldom executed out of London. And that the common
standard, or assize of gold and silver (according to the ordinances
in that behalf made) is kept in Goldsmiths' Hall in London ; and
that all works and wares iri gold and silver there tried and
assayed, and affirmed for good, shall be stamped with their marks)
which they use for that purpose ; and all defective works utterly
condemned." In 1573. 15 Elizabeth. Commissioners were appointed to
enquire into the standard of gold and silver, which had not been
attended to, in consequence of the disgraceful state of the coinage,
and the low degree of baseness in which that and goldsmiths'
Work generally had recently fallen, but which had then got again
to its former purity. The Commissioners called before them the
Master and Wardens of the Goldsmiths' Company, to see how far
they had complied with the standard; arid they were compelled to
give security that in future no gold wares should be of less
fineness than 22 carats, and silver wares 11 oz. 2 dwts. in the
pound. a.d. 1576. 18 Elizabeth. In this Parliament the abuses in
goldsmiths' work were taken into consideration; and it was
enacted that, after the 20th of April, no goldsmith should work,
sell, or exchange, or cause to be sold, &c, any wares of gold less
in fineness than 22 carats, and that he should use no sother, amell,
or other stuffings whatsoever, more than should be necessary, and
that he should not take above the rate of twelve pence for the
ounce of gold, besides the fashion, more than the buyer should or

* As this Act makes no mention of any Country Assay Offices, it is probable
that all or most of them were now discontinued.

10
might be allowed for the same at the Queen's Exchange or Mintj
upon pain to forfeit the value of the thing so sold, or exchanged.
That he should not put to sale any wares, &c;,, of sil/uer before
he should have set his; mark thereon, to so much as might con
veniently bear it, upon pain of forfeiture of the same. And if in
any goldsmith's wares, &c, touched,, marked, and allowed for
good by the Wardens and Corporation of that mystery, after the
said 20th of April, there should be found any falsehood or deceit,
then the Wardens and Corporation of that mystery, for the time
being, should forfeit the value of the said wares.
The Goldsmiths' Company of London is intrusted with the
custody of the pile of troy weights made in this Queen's reign
and no country office is mentioned in this Act.
a.d. 1597. In the Records oe the Company, is an entry, dated
4th May, 1597, giving an account of an information filed against
two goldsmiths for fraud, "in making divers parcels of counterfeit
plate debased, and worse than her Majesty's standard, and to give
appearance to the said counterfeit plate, being good and lawful,
did thereto put and counterfeit the marks of her Majesty's lion,
the leopard's head, limited by statute, and the alphabetical mark
approved by ordinance amongst themselves, which are the private
marks of the Goldsmiths' Hall, and be and remain in the custody
of the said Wardens, and puncheons to be worked and imprinted
thereon, and did afterwards sell the same for good and sufficient
plate, to the defrauding of her Majesty's subjects," &c. They
were convicted and sentenced to stand in the pillory at West
minster, with their ears nailed thereto, and with papers above
their heads stating their offence to be " For making false plate
and counterfeiting her Majesty's touch." They were then put in
the pillory at Cheapside, had one ear cut off, and were taken
through Foster Lane to Fleet Prison, and had to pay a fine of ten
marks.* This is the first mention we find of the lion and alpha*
betical letter.
We do not find the lion mentioned in any statute until 1675.

* This was the usual punishment for similar offences. In Belgium it was
slightly varied. The goldsmith convicted of having fabricated base gold or
silver was led to the market place, and there had his ear nailed to a pillar,
where he remained, thus fixed, until he released himself by leaving a piece of
his ear behind him.

11

THE GOLDSMITHS' ORDER,
Goldsmiths' Halt, 23rd February , 1675.
Whereas complaint hath been made to the Wardens of the
Company of Goldsmiths, London, that divers- small works, as
buckles for belts, silver hilts, and the pieces thereto belonging,
with- divers other small wares, both of gold and silver, are
frequently wrought and put to sale by divers goldsmiths and
ethers, worse than standard, to the great abuse of his Majesty's
good subjects, and great discredit of that manufacture, and re
proach in foreign parts to the English goldsmiths; and that there
are also divers pieces of silver plate sold, not being assayed at
Goldsmiths' Hall, and so not marked with the leopard's head
&rowned, or h/on, as by law the same ought to be : And whereas
the Wardens1 of the- said Company, to prevent the said frauds,
have formerly required all persons to forbear putting to sale any
adulterate wares, either of gold or silver; but that they cause the
samp forthwith to be defaced : And that as Well plats Workers as
small workers shall cause their respective riiafka to be brought to
Goldsmiths' Hall, arid there strike the same in a table kept in the
Assay Office; and likewise enter their names and places of habi
tations in a book there kept for that purpose^ whereby the persons
arid their inarks might be known unto the Wardens' of the said
Company j which having not hitherto been duly observed, and
many of the offenders seem to be incorrigible ; these are therefore
to give notice to, and to require again all those who exercise the
said art or mystery Of goldsmiths in or about the cities of London
and Westminster and the suburbs of the same^ that they forthwith
repair to Goldsrriiths' Hall and there strike their marks^ first
approved by the Warderis in Court,, in a table appointed for that
purpose, and likewise enter their names with the places of their
respective dwellings iri a book remaining in the Assay Office there.
And that as well the worker as shopkeeper, and all cutlers and
girdlers and all others working or trading in gold or silver wares
of what kirid soever or quality they he, forbear putting to sale any
of the said works^ riot being agreeable to standard, that is to say,
gold not less in fineness than 22 cafats,- and silver not less in
fineness than 11 oZi 2 dwts. ; and that no person or persons do
frorii henceforth put to sale aby of the said wares, either small or
great, before the Workman's mark be struck clear and visible

12
thereon, and upon every part thereof, that is wrought asunder,
and afterwards sodered or made fast thereto, in finishing the
same, unless it be such sort of work adjudged by the Wardens,
that it will not conveniently bear the worker's mark. And that
all manner of silver vessels, and all manner of silver hilts for
swords, and all manner of silver buckles for belts and girdles, and
other harness of silver be assayed at Goldsmiths' Hall and there
approved for standard, by striking thereon the lion and leopard's
head crowned, or one of them, before they be exposed to sale.
And hereof all persons concerned are required to take notice, and
demean themselves accordingly : otherwise- the Wardens resolve
to make it their care to procure them to be proceeded against
according to law. And will reward every person for their pains
in discovering before them (in court) the matter of fact of any
transgressor (in the premises) upon the conviction of the offender.

a.d. 1697. 8 & 9 William III. c. 8, s. 1. Enacts that any
persons that shall bring any sort of wrought plate, between the
1st January, 1696, and the 4th November, 1697, into any of his
Majesty's mints, &c, shall be paid 5s. 4d. per ounce for the same;
and that the master and worker of the mints shall receive all such
wrought plate, which shall plainly appear to have thereon the
mark commonly used at the Hall, belonging to the Company of
Goldsmiths in London, besides the workman's mark, as sterling
silver, without tarrying till it be melted and assayed. And where
the wrought plate, so brought, shall not have the said marks
thereon, then the party bringing such plate shall have the same
forthwith melted and assayed, and shall be allowed 5s. 4d. per
ounce for every ounce of sterling silver found therein.
a.d. 1697. 8 & 9 William III. c. 8, s. 9. "And whereas it
might reasonably be suspected that part of the silver coins of the
realm had been, by persons regarding their own private gain
more than the pubhc good, molten and converted into vessels of
silver or other manufactured plate, which crime had been the
more easily perpetrated by them, in regard the goldsmiths or
others, workers of plate, by the former laws and statutes of the
realm, were not obliged to make their plate of finer silver than
the sterling or standard ordained for the monies of the realm."
It was therefore enacted that from and after the 25th day of

13
March, 1697, no silver plate should be made of less fineness than
that of 11 oz. 10 dwts. of fine silver in every pound troy, and that
no silver vessels, &c, made after that time, should be put to sale
until such vessels, &c, should be marked, except silver wire or
such things as, in respect of their smallness, were incapable of
receiving a mark. That the marks should be — that of the
worker, to be expressed by the two first letters of his surname ;
the marks of the mystery or craft of the goldsmiths, which,
instead of the leopard's head and the lion, should be for this
plate the figure of a lion's head erased,* and the figure of a
woman, commonly called Britannia ; and a distinct variable mark
to be used by the Warden of the said mystery, to denote the year
in which such plate was made ; and that those marks should be
affixed, on pain of forfeiture of all silver vessels, &c, that should
be exposed for sale.
As will be seen by the Tables, a mark was used by the
Goldsmiths' Company in London to denote the year in which the
plate was assayed long before this time. It would appear that no
country office did now exist ; and wrought plate not marked with
the Hall Mark of the Goldsmiths' Company of London was not to
be received by the officers of the mints as sterling, but as un
certain silver.
a.d. 1698. 9 & 10 William III. c. 28, recites, "That by an Act
of the 7 & 8 William III. c. 19, no wrought plate can be shipped
off, under the great penalties therein named, whereby no home
wrought manufactured plate, though never so beneficial to the
artificers and trade of this kingdom, is permitted to be exported;"
which was at that time a good and wholesome law, and tended to
the benefit of the kingdom by keeping bullion at home to be
coined : And that a great benefit may accrue to many artificers
and to the kingdom in general, by giving liberty to export
watches, sword hilts, wrought plate and several other manu
factures, made within this kingdom, being of the fineness pre
scribed in the last recited Act. And enacts that after the 24th
June, 1698, "it shall be lawful to export such watches, plate, &c,
according to the rules prescribed in the said last recited Act, as
shall be yearly allowed by the Commissioners of the Customs."
* Erased is a technical term in heraldry, signifying .separate,- or without the
body.

14
a.d. 1700. 12 William III. c. 43, s. 1 & 2. York, Exeter,
Bristol, Chester, and Norwich, were appointed by this statute
for assaying and making wrought plate; and in 1702, 1 Anne,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne was added to the list. This Act requires
that they shall stamp the silver plate assayed by them with the
marks therein described; and, in addition to the arms of their
cities, and to the description of the variable mark to show the
year when such plate was made, is added " or -letter in Roman
character." All these cities, except Exeter and Chester, it will
be seen, were chosen for the same purpose as early as 2 Henry VI.
a.d. 1424, but many had probably never availed themselves ofthe
privilege, or had long since discontinued it,cr it would have been
unnecessary to reappoint them expressly by -this statute.
As the King's subjects had, in the year 1697, sold most pf their
wrought plate to the mints to be coined into money, and the said
Act 8 Will. III. c. 8, had abolished the old standard of 11 oz.
2 dwts. and estabhshed the new standard of 11 oz. 10 dwts. for
wrought silver plate, and had intrusted only the said Company of
Goldsmiths in London with assaying and marking all the new
standard plate of the kingdom ; and as a large demand now arose
for wrought plate, and the goldsmiths in the remote parts of the
kingdom were under great difficulties to supply their customers ;
thereforo the goldsmiths, &c, in the above cities (where mints
were lately erected) obtained the above Act. And it is evident,
that all the seven Country Assay Offices established in 1423 were
discontinued, as the legislature by this Act did not revive those
at Lincoln, Salisbury, and Coventry, but . established others at
Exeter and Chester where none had been before.
York was one of the most ancient places of assay, but it has
several times discontinued its operations. It will be seen: that in
1772, when a return was made to Parliament, the Assay Office
was not <in existence; but after that it appears to have recom
menced. In 1848 we find ,it mentioned as an assay town, but
doing very little business.
In Norwich, plate was assayed and marked at an early period,
and some specimens are existing among the Corporation plate of
the date 1567. An annual letter, seems to have been used, for on
a silver gilt salt and cover, "The-Gyfte of -Peter Reade, -Esquiar,"
to -the Corporation, 'the marks are.— 1. The Arms of Norwich;
2. A capital D ; and, 3. A cross-mound within a lozenge. It was

15
therefore made and stamped at Norwich -before 1568, for Peter
Reade -died in that year.
Among the records of the Corporation of Norwich we see that
in 1614 the mark -of a castle and lion was delivered by the Mayor
and Corporation to the Wardens and Searcher -of the trade of
goldsmiths, and, in July 1, 1702, Mr. Robert Harstonge was
sworn assayer of gold and silver to the -Company. Norwich has
long 'since ceased to mark plate.
In Exeter the records are preserved. The Act was passed im
1700, but did not come into operation 'until the 29th September,
1701. On the 7th August the Company of Goldsmiths met, and
on the 17th of -September, Wardens were appointed, and they
resolved, with all convenient -speed and safety, to put the Act in
execution; and the, first assayer was sworn in before the Mayor
on the 19th oT November, '1701. The letters commenced with a
Roman capital A for that year, as ordered by the statute, which
characters, large and small, they used throughout the alphabet
until 1837, when theya'dopted old Enghsh capitals for that cycle.
A table of letters for each year will be found further on. From
1797 the letters are the same for -each year as the Goldsmiths'
Hall of London, they having 'reduced the number of letters to
twenty instead of twenty -four in each cycle.
Chester commenced, operations under 12 Will. III., 1700, arid
is regulated by that and 12 Geo. II. The variable letter is
changed on the 5th of August in every year. In the return of
1848 it is quoted as having assayed 221 ounces of gold^and only
379 ounces 'of silver during that year.
At Newcastle-upon-Tyne the annual letter ^appears ito have
been used from 1702. Mr. Thomas Sewell,>one of the Wardens
of the Assay Office, has kindly furnished us with a table of date
letters, chronologically arranged, 'compiled from the Assay Office
books and the copper plate on which the maker strikeshis initials,
as well as from pieces of old plate which have from time to time
come under 'his notice. The change of letter takes place on the
3rd of.May in-each'year.
Bristol never availed itself of 'the-powers conferred upon it >by
the statute of 1700.
The author -of Whe touchstone -for Gold and -Silver Wares,
1676,. in: speaking, of. the Act 2 Henry VI. says, "But -what are
the particular marks, the respective chief Governors of those

/!

16
seven places set on the silver works, I can give no account
thereof. But this I can assert, that by reason the marks of those
places are little known, they bear as httle credit ; and therefore
the goldsmiths in those and other remote places, do frequently
send up their silver works to receive the London touch."
a.d. 1719. 6 Geo. I. c. 11, s. 1, recites, that it is found by
experience that the manufactures of silver, which were made
according to the old standard, are more serviceable and durable
than those which have been made of the new standard, therefore
enacts, that the said old standard of silver plate made after the
1st June, 1720, shall be restored, revived and take place instead
of the said new standard : and Sec. 2 enacts that no goldsmith,
&c, shall be obliged to make silver plate according to the said
new standard.
Sec. 4 grants to his Majesty a duty of sixpence per ounce on all
silver imported into and made in Great Britain.
Sec. 41 recites, that it may be requisite, for encouraging the
several manufactures of wrought plate, to continue both the new
and old standards, for the better accommodating the buyers of
plate, and the workers and dealers therein : and therefore enacts
that all wrought plate shall not be made less in fineness than
11 oz. 10 dwts. or 11 oz. 2 dwts.; which two different standards
of wrought plate shall be severally marked with distinguishing
marks, viz. — plate of 11 oz. 10 dwts. with the workman's mark,
the warden's mark, the lion's head erased and the Britannia; and
plate of 11 oz. 2. dwts. with the worker's mark, the warden's
mark, a lion passant and a leopard's head ; and that it shall not
be lawful to make silver plate of a coarser allay.*
a.d. 1739. 12 Geo. II. c. 26. This Act recited the following
statutes : 28 Edw. I., 2 Henry VI., 18 Eliz., and 12 WiU. III.,
and then enacted, that from and after the 28th May, 1739, all
gold wares should not be less in fineness than 22 carats of fine
gold, and all silver wares not less than 11 oz. 2 dwts. of fine silver
in every pound weight troy, but this was not to extend to
jewellers' work, that is, to any gold or silver wherein any jewels
or other stones should be set, or any other small works of that
kind. The penalty £10. for every offence. By the same Act it

* None of the Country Assay Offices, nor their marks, are mentioned in this
Act.

17
was ordered that the makers were to destroy their existing marks,
which were the two first letters of their surname, and substitute
the initials of their christian and surnames.
Sec. 5 enacts, That no person making, trading or dealing in
gold or silver wares shall sell, exchange, or expose to sale or
export, until marked as follows —
Gold plate and old standard plate with the maker's mark, and
these marks of the Company of Goldsmiths in London, viz. the
leopard's head, the Lion passant, and the yearly letter ; or with
the maker's mark and with the marks appointed to be used by
the assayers of York and other places.
And new standard silver plate with the maker's mark, and
these marks of the said Company, viz. the lion's head erased, the
Britannia, and the yearly letter ; or with the maker's mark, and
the marks of one of the said cities or towns.
Sec. 11 of this Act states the great frauds in the trade, and
particularly in using too much solder, and trusts the Wardens,
&c, with determining what solder is necessary, and whether
wrought plate is forward enough in workmanship, and has all the
pieces affixed together or not,
a.d. 1756. Stat. 29 George II. c. 14, grants an annual duty to
his Majesty, for all silver plate in Great Britain from 100 to 4000,
of five shillings for every, 100 ounces, from 5th July, 1756.
a.d. 1758. 31 George II. c. 32. An Act was passed to repeal
the statute of the 6th of the King, by which a duty of sixpence
had been imposed upon every ounce troy of silver plate imported
into, or made in great Britain ; and a duty of forty shillings for a
licence, to be taken out by every person trading in, selling, or
vending gold or silver plate, was granted in lieu of it ; to take
place from and after the 1st day of June, 1758, and the licence to
be taken out annually, on forfeiture of twenty pounds for neg
lecting so to do. By the same Act, the statute ofthe 12th ofthe
King, for the better preventing frauds and abuses in gold and
silver wares, was likewise- repealed, because the punishment
which was enacted by it against counterfeiting stamps and marks
upon gold and silver plate, was not sufficiently severe to prevent
that practice, and the said crime was now made felony, without
benefit of clergy. This penalty was, in 1773, commuted to trans
portation for fourteen years.
a.d. 1759. Stat. 32 George II. c. 14, s. 1, exempts persons

18
trading in gold not exceeding two pennyweights, or in silver
not exceeding four penny-weights, in one piece of goods, from
taking out a licence; and Sec. 3 grants an annual duty of £5.
(instead of 40s.) to His Majesty, for every licence by each person
trading in gold plate of two ounces or upwards, or in silver plate
of thirty ounces or upwards.
a.d. 1773. 13 George III. This Act was passed for the
appointment of wardens and assay masters for assaying and
stamping wrought silver plate, in the towns of Sheffield and
Birmingham. At Birmingham the selection of the variable letter, which is
directed to be changed with the annual election of the wardens
in July, is not confided to any officers, but the custom has been
to take the letters in alphabetical order, adopting for one cycle
of twenty-six years the Roman, and for another cycle the Old
English letters.
a.d. 1824. 5 George IV. Power was given to the Company
at Birmingham to assay gold as well as silver, and their marks
are the same as London, except that the anchor is substituted
for the leopard's head. This office has exclusive jurisdiction over
all plate made in the town, or within thirty miles of it.
At Sheffield, silver only is assayed. We have not been able to
obtain the requisite information to print a table of marks used at
this office; our application to the clerk of the Assay Office met
with no response. A similar plan was adopted here, as at
Birmingham, commencing with the Roman capitals in regular
succession, but, probably, some letters of the alphabet were
omitted, as the letter for the year 1862-3 was the Roman capital
U, whilst that of the same year, in Birmingham, was the Roman
capital N. We understand also that Italian letters were once
used. The marks used at this office are the same as at London,
except that the crown is substituted for the leopard*s head, and
variation of the date mark.
A.d. 1784. 24 George III. An Act was passed imposing an
additional duty of eight shillings per ounce on gold plate, and
sixpence per ounce on silver plate. It was also enacted that the
wardens or their assay masters should mark the pieces with a new
mark, viz. the King's head, over and above the several other
marks directed by law. The expression "The King's head" is

19
understood "to meati the representation of the head of the reigning
Sovereign. The present mark is therefore the Queen's head.
a.d. 1798. 38 George III. An Act was passed to permit
gold wares to be manufactured, for sale or exportation, of the
standard of 18 carats of fine gold in every pound weight troy;
such gold wares to be stamped with a crown and the figures 18,
instead of the mark of the lion passant, not to the exclusion of,
but concurrently with the foriher standard of 22 carats.

. EXTRACTS FROM THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE
OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,
APPOINTED TO ENQUIRE INTO THE MANNER OF CONDUCTING THE SEVERAL ASSAY
OFFICES IN LONDON, YORK, EXETER, BRISTOL, CHESTER, NORWICH, AND
NEWCASTLErUPON-TYNE.
[Ordered to be prmted in 1773.]
The Report commences, that "In order to discover in what
manner the several Assay Offices in London, Chester, Exeter and
Newcastle-upon-Tyne (being the only Assay Offices which they
find are now kept up in this Kingdom) have been conducted,
ordered the Assay Masters to attend them, and produce an
account of the number of Goldsmiths, Silversmiths and Plate
Workers, &c. — the names and places of abode of those now
living that have entered their marks, also an account of the
weight of all the gold and silver plate assayed and marked at
each office for seven years last past." From this it appears, that
the offices at York, Bristol, and Norwich, were not then in
operation. As to the Goldsmiths' Hall, London, Mr. David Hennel,
Deputy Warden, stated that there are at the said office two
weighers, four drawers, and two assayers; and described what
their duties were. Mr. Fendall Rushworth, Senior* Assay Master;
Mr. George Fair, Clerk to the Company; and Mr. Richard Collins,
Fireman and Drawer, were also examined as to the annual diet
tried on the 28th May, the modes of assay, &c.
Mr. W. Hancock, a silversmith of Sheffield, said that his work
had been injured by scraping ; and he went to the Hall and gave
some drink to the assay master and scraper, since which time his
plate had been less damaged. Mr. Spillsbury said that drawers
or scrapers, if inclined, had opportunities of delivering to the
c 2

20
assayer better silver than they scrape from the work ; that the
assayer had an opportunity of wrapping in lead what scrapings
he pleased, to put upon the coppels which he delivered to the
fireman ; and as the standard mark is put upon the silver by the
report of the assayer alone, he had opportunities of favouring any
silversmith he pleased; that he had several times treated the
workmen with drink; and thought it of consequence to be on
good terms with the scrapers, as they had the power of shewing
favour ; for when his plate had been objected to, he had known
those difficulties removed by giving liquor at the Hall.
As to the office at Chester, Mr. John Scasebrick, the Assay '
Master, described the mode of operating : If pieces came from
which he could cut bits he did so, if not he scraped off sufficient
for the assay and wrapped it in lead, and when the furnace and
coppels were hot enough he refined the assay, hut no flux was
used, because the lead refined it. If it came out 11 oz. 2 dwts.
fine silver, it was marked with the lion, the leopard's head, the
city arms (being three lions and a wheatsheaf), and the letter for
the year, the letter for the present year (1773) being U. Some
times it is passed at 11 oz., but then the owners are written to, to
be more cautious for the future.
He had no fixed salary — his profit never amounted to £ 10. in
any one year; the diet was never sent to the Tower to be assayed.
When asked how he knew when silver was sufficiently assayed, he
answered, "We know by the assay: it first has a cap over it, then
that works off in various colours ; and after that it grows quite
bright, and then we know all the lead is worked away."
Mr. Mathew Skinner, Assay Master at Exeter, described the
mode of work. When asked to describe his method of assaying
silver, he said, " I take a small quantity of silver from each piece,
(the quantity allowed by Act of Parliament is eight grains from
every pound troy weight) which I weigh by the assay pound
weight; I wrap it up in a thin sheet of lead, and when the
furnace is properly heated, the assays are put in and fired off;
they are taken out when cool, and then weighed, and from the
waste we ascertain its goodness."
That the standard for plate is 11 oz. 2 dwts. of fine silver and
18 dwts. of alloy, but they allow a remedy of 2 dwts. in the pound.
That the marks he strikes upon wrought plate are the lion, the
leopard's head, the Exeter mark (which is a castle), and the letter

21
for the year; that the letter for the present year (1773) is Z, in
Roman character; that the letter is appointed annually, at the
first hall meeting after the 7th August, and goes through the
whole alphabet ; and that A will be the letter for next year.
Mr. Mathew Prior, Assay Master of the Goldsmiths' Company
at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, described his mode of assaying : That
of silver by fine lead ; and his flux for gold was aquafortis, fine
silver and lead. That he puts four marks upon the plate, viz. the
lion, the leopard's head, the three castles, and the letter for the
year; and that the letter for the present year (1773) is D.
Mr. David Hennell described a fraud which was sometimes
attempted by dishonest workers, called a Convoy, to deceive the
assayer. He said, "If scrapings or cuttings are taken from
different pieces of the same sorts of plate, the whole mass so cut
or scraped may prove standard, but several of these pieces may
not be standard; and that it is common to put good pieces in
spoons, &c, to the amount of 10, 12, or 15 dwts. above standard
amongst the bad ones, as a kind of convoy for the rest; but if
that is suspected, they separate it, and make different assays of
all the parts, and if they find one part worse than standard they
break the whole.
Another fraud spoken of by several witnesses was inserting
iron, brass, &c, in the handles of snuffers, tankards, sauce boats,
&c, which had escaped detection at Goldsmiths' Hall, and had
been marked accordingly.
An Appendix to this Report contains the names and places of
abode of all the Goldsmiths, Silversmiths and Plate Workers now
living, that have entered their marks in the Assay Office in Gold
smiths' Hall, in the City of London, 8th March 1773.
The names and trades of the present Wardens and Assayers of
the Goldsmiths' Company, and when, at what times, and by whom
they were respectively elected. *
The Oath taken by the Assayer at Goldsmiths' Hall.
The Appendix also contains an account of the prosecutions
which have been commenced and carried on by the Company of
G oldsmiths of the City of London, against any person or persons
for frauds or abuses in gold or silver plate, within seven years
last past : —
In 1767 William C, working silversmith, was prosecuted by
indictment upon Stat. 28 Edw. I. and Stat. 6 George I. c. 11, for

22
soldering bits of standard silver to tea tongs and shoe buckles
which were worse than standard, and sending the same to the
said Company's Assay Office, in order fraudently to obtain their
marks to the same.
In 1768 William K. of London, working silversmith, was
prosecuted by indictment upon the said statutes, for making two
salt cellars worse than standard, and selhng them for standard.
In 1770 James M. E. and partners were severally prosecuted
by actions on Stat. 12 Geo. II. for making gold chains worse than
standard; and Roger S. and others were prosecuted for selling
gold watch chains worse than standard.
In 1770 John G. and William V., watchmakers, were prosecuted
for selhng two silver watch cases without being marked, and
which on that account were stopped at the Custom House in
London, on their being found in a cask of hardware, in which
action they suffered judgment to go by default.

The amount of gold and silver plate assayed and marked at
the Assay Offices for seven years, ending the 29th May now last
past (1772). London  Gold, 3926 lb. 2 oz. 8 dwts. 8 grs.
„  Silver, 692,528 lb. 3 oz. 11 dwts.
Chester  Total, 715 lb. weight of Silver Plate.
Exeter  Total, 2,800 lb. weight of Silver Plate.
Newcastle  Total, 7,266 lb. weight of Silver Plate.

FRAUDS AND OFFENCES.
7 & 8 Victoria, c. 22, is the most recent statute, and which
must now be taken as the guide and authority in all cases of
forgery of the dies and marks used at the Assay Offices. It
declares (Sec. 2) each of the following offences to be felony, and
punishable with transportation or imprisonment.
The exact words of the statute are not here given.
Forging or counterfeiting any die used by any of the Companies
of Goldsmiths or guardians for making gold or silver wares.
Marking wares with a forged die.
Counterfeiting marks of any die.
Transposing marks from one ware of gold or silver to another,
or to a ware of base metal.

23
Having possession, without lawful excuse, and knowingly, of a
forged die, or of any ware bearing the mark of a forged die, or a
transposed mark.
Cutting off marks with intent to affix them to other wares.
AffixJHg to any ware a mark cut from another.
Fraudulently using genuine dies.
A case under this statute was tried before Lord Denman at
Taunton Assizes in 1849. Two silversmiths were indicted for
having in their possession a silver spoon having thereon a mark
of a die used by the Goldsmiths' Company, which had been
transposed from a silver skewer; and also a similar charge in
respect to a silver soup ladle. The prosecution was instituted by
the Goldsmiths' Company of London. The spoon and ladle were
of modern make but bore the mark of the year 1774. An officer
ofthe Goldsmiths' Company proved that on clearing off the gilding
and using a blow pipe, he found that the spoon and ladle were
not made in one piece, which would be the ordinary mode of
manufacture, but that the parts bearing the marks were "inserted"
or "brought on." A working silversmith proved that by direction
of the prisoners he had made and sent to them two silver bowls
for spoons; that they were afterwards returned to him with
handles attached to be gilt, and when he burnished them he
perceived the old hall marks; that the bowls and stems or
handles were generally made together. The defence was that
the facts proved did not amount to a transposition, but were an
addition, and as such were not a felony, but came under the 5th
section of the Act which imposed a pecuniary penalty for the
offence. It was suggested that the spoon and ladle were made by using
old silver skewers, with the old hall mark, for the stems, and
adding to them bowls and figures at the top called " apostles " in
order to give them the appearance of old plate, and that this was
an addition. It was admitted by the prisoners' counsel to be a
fraud in contravention of the Act, but not a felony under the 2nd
section. The jury found that it was not a transposition but an
addition, and the prisoners were discharged; the judge remarked,
however, " it appears to me very much to be questioned, at least,
whether the description of transposition in the one Section is not
precisely the same as the description of addition in the other
Section."

24

UNCEETAIN OLD ENGLISH HALL MARKS.
It must be borne in mind that the Acts of Parliament relating
to the stamping of plate at the Goldsmiths' Hall, London, only
refer to the making and selling of plate in the cities of London
and Westminster and the suburbs thereof. In the parts of
England, therefore, distant from the metropolis, it was the
custom, as enacted by 2 Rich. II. 1379, "that every goldsmith
should have his own proper mark upon his work," and also that
" the work should bear the mark of the city or borough where it
was assayed."
Mr. Morgan speaks of a mark he had occasionally met with on
old plate, resembling the letter X, surmounted by a crown, which
he conjectured might be St. Andrew's cross, therefore of Scotch
origin. We have met with several specimens, and on all, the
mark is invariably the Roman letter X, not a cross saltire or
St. Andrew's cross.
Another peculiarity relating to this mark is, when it occurs on
spoons, it is always placed within the bowl, in the same position
as the leopard's head on spoons struck in London, it seems there
fore probable that it denotes the stamp of a town.
In order, therefore, that we may endeavour to trace this mark
to its proper locality, we will briefly notice some of the specimens
which have come under our notice, being all evidently of English
manufacture. A stoneware jug, mounted in silver, bears the marks of the
letter X crowned, and the word YEDS. South Kensington
Museum.
A brown stoneware jug, mounted in silver, has, 1st, the letter
X, surmounted by a crown and two pellets; 2nd, the word
ESTON; 3rd, C on a shield; 4th, a small black letter g on a
shield. On the handle is engraved the date 1595. W. Cozier, Esq.
A silver apostle spoon has in the bowl, 1st, the letter X crowned ;
2nd, on the stem the name RADCLIFF; and 3rd the letters I. R.
and a flower ; it also bears the pounced or pricked letters and date
of presentation 1637. (See page 68, No. 5.) The Rev. T. Stani-
forth, Storrs, Windermere.
There are two silver apostle spoons marked with the letter X

25
crowned, and a goldsmith's mark repeated thrice, with pounced
letters and date 1659. In the Salford Museum, Peel Park.
A silver apostle spoon has the letter X crowned, as before, and
a goldsmith's mark, and is pounced with letters and date of
presentation 1635. Rev. T. Staniforth, Storrs, Windermere.
A silver apostle spoon has three marks: 1st, the letter X
crowned, and two fleurs-de-lis, within the bowl; 2nd, the word
EASTON ; 3rd, a small old English l on a pointed shield. On
the back are some letters pounced and the date 1634. Br. Ashford,
Torquay. A silver apostle spoon marked with the letter X crowned, the
other mark illegible. On the back is pounced the date 1681.
Dr. Ashford, Torquay.
A brown mottled stoneware jug, in silver gilt mounting, of the
16th Century, has the letter X crowned, the word EASTON,
and a small old English £ on a shield. The date engraved on the
handle is 1586. W. Chaffers, Esq.
These three last pieces are from families in Devonshire, and we
have traced several others to the same county. A silversmith
residing in Exeter assures us that he has frequently met with
similar marks, and has always considered them to be old Exeter
stamps, in which opinion he is corroborated by other residents of
the vicinity.
By reference to the dates of presentation on the pieces of plate
here described, it will be observed they range from 1586 to 1681,
being all previous to 1700; and doubtless at Exeter most of the
plate made in the West of England was sent to be stamped;
indeed so much was an Assay Office required, that in the year
1700 Exeter was included in the statute, and after that date the
arms of the town (three castles) was adopted ; , and although
Bristol was empowered to assay plate, both by 2 Henry VI.
(1424), and also by 12 Wilham III. (1700), it never availed itself
of the powers thereby conferred. On the other hand, Exeter,
before the Act came into operation, appointed its Wardens and
Assayers with all convenient speed and safety, and they were
sworn in on the 19th of November, 1701.
Another old Enghsh mark occasionally found on plate previous
to the year 1700, is that of a half fleur-de-lis and a half rose
, conjoined, the latter being sometimes crowned.
A stoneware jug, mounted in silver, belonging to Mr. Addington,

26
is ornamented with raised masks and scrolls and the Royal Arms
of England as borne by Queen Elizabeth — a Tudor Rose and
inscribed date 1576, which from the style is evidently the date of
its manufacture. The punched marks are a rose and fleur-de-hs
conjoined. A Roman capital R and maker's mark CK.
A silver apostle spoon belonging to the Rev. T. Staniforth, has
a fleur-de-lis and rose crown conjoined ; the old English letter ^
and maker's mark T. H. (See page 68, No. 6.)
Another silver spoon in the same collection, has a fleur-de-lis
and rose and crown conjoined, a small black letter fe and a maker's
mark. Both these are of the first half of the 17th Century.
A silver spoon, with heart-shaped end and flat stem, of the date
1680 to 1700, has four marks : a double rose on a shield; a fleur-
de-lis in a pearled circle; a merchant's mark and RC, which is
also of English make. This belongs to the Rev. T, Staniforth.
(See page 68, No. 8.)
In the South Kensington Museum there is a silver mounted
cocoa nut cup, with date of presentation 1576, which bears the
stamps; 1st, a double rose crowned; 2nd, a star of five points;
and, 3rd, a Roman capital R; of English work. (See page 68,
No. 7.) ,

THE STANDARD.
The English sterling, or silver standard, which term first occurs
in the reign of Henry II., was of the fineness of 11 oz. 2 dwts. in
the pound troy, and 18 dwts. of alloy,- and it has remained so,
nearly without interruption, for more than 600 years, with the
exception of a period of 20 years, from the latter end of the reign
of Henry VIII. to the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth, when,
at one time it was so debased that nine ounces of alloy were
actually employed with only three ounces of silver. In the
earliest accounts in which the standard of fineness is mentioned,
it is always spoken of as the " old standard of England," or
" esterling." The Saxon pennies were of the same standard.
In computing the standard of gold, it will be observed that the
word carat is employed. This term is used by refiners, whereby
they certify a certain composition of weights used in assaying and

27
computing of standard gold, and this, carat contains either the
24th part of a pound or the 24th part of an ounce troy.*
The standard of gold, when first introduced into the coinage,
was of 24 carats, that is, pure gold,, and from Henry III. to
Edward III. remained so; it was subsequently 23 carats 3^ grains
fine, and half a grain only of alloy. The gold was debased by
Henry VIII. to 20 carats, but it was raised to 22 carats, which
Charles II. made standard, and which still continues to be so for
coins of the realm.. In the reign of Edward IV., a.d. 1477, an
Act was passed which ordained that, as the Act had been daily
broken in the manufacture of gold wares, the fineness of gold
should be fixed at 18 carats, but it was raised again to the
standard; and, in 1798, it was permitted to make certain articles
of gold below the standard, such as watch cases, &c, but such
debasement is denoted by a crown and the figures 18,. instead of
the lion passant.
One pound, or one ounce of gold must contain 22 carats of fine
gold, 1 carat of silver and 1 carat of fine copper, which together
make 24 carats, or one pound or one ounce troy weight,
The inarks for gold, of 22 carats, and for silver of 11 oz* 2 dwts.
were, up to the year 1844,. the same, and hence a great facility"
was afforded to fraud, and, consequently, many instances occurred.
An article of silver of the standard above named, being duly
assayed and marked, had only to be gilt, and who, but those
more skilled than ordinary purchasers, could say it was not gold?
This was changed by 7 and 8 Vict. c. xxii., which required
that all wares of 22 carat gold should be marked with " a crown
and the figures 22, instead of the mark of the lion passant." A
lower standard of gold was allowed by an Act, 38 Geo. III., 1798,
which was marked with a crown and the figures 18, instead of the
lion passant.
In the reign of Geo. III. the size of the leopard's head was
* The carat is a bean, the fruit of an Abyssinian tree called Kuara ; this bean,
from the time of its being gathered, Varies very little in weight, and seems to
have been a weight for gold in Africa. In India it is used as a weight for
diamonds, as well as in Europe. It contains four grains.
In France the term denier was used to denote the fineness of silver, in the
same manner as we use the word carat for gold ; it, indeed, agrees with the
English ounce. The pound is divided into twelve parts, or deniers, and each
denier or twelfth part into two ololes, or twenty-four grains.

28
diminished, and about 1823 it was deprived of its crown, and
denuded of its mane and beard, — a great change from the bold
front presented in the old punches, — and it has ever since looked
more like a half-starved cat than a lion.
There are two standards for gold, and two for silver : the
manufacturer may use either at his option, informing the author
ities at the Assay Office which he has adopted in each parcel of
goods sent to be assayed. The Standards for Gold are 22 and
18 carats of pure metal in every ounce, the ounce containing
24 carats; so that in each ounce there may be 2 or 6 carats,
one-twelfth or quarter of the weight of alloy. The coinage of
England is of the higher standard, 22 carats. The lower standard
is used for all manufacturing purposes, except in the case of
wedding rings, which are usually made of 22 carat gold. The
Standards for Silver are 11 oz. 10 dwts. and 11 oz. 2 dwts. of
pure metal in every pound troy. The higher standard is never
used. The silver coinage is of the lower standard.
In the year 1697, it has been seen that there was an alteration
in the standard of fineness, which was increased from 11 oz. 2 dwts.
to 11 oz. 10 dwts. in the pound troy. This better standard was
denoted by a change of stamps as follows : — 1st. The marks of
the workers to be expressed by the two first letters of his name.
2. The marks of the mystery or craft of the goldsmith, which
instead of the leopard's head, was to be a lion's head erased.
3. Instead of the lion, the figure of a woman, commonly called
Britannia, was to be substituted; and, 4. A distinct variable
mark to be used by the warden of the said mystery to denote the
year in which such plate was made." Both these marks were
used at -first by the provincial Assay Offices, but from the year
1773 the lion's head erased was omitted on silver of the new
standard, at Sheffield and Birmingham.
On referring to the Minutes of the Goldsmiths' Company we
find that, "On the 29th of May, 1695, new puncheons were
received, the letter for the year being t in an escutcheon." And
on "the 27th March, 1697, the puncheons for the remaining part
of this year (viz. up to the 30th May) were received, being,
according to Act of Parliament, a lyon's head erased, a Britannia,
and for the letter, the great court A in an escutcheon."

29

Table shewing the variations of the Standard of Gold and
Silver Currency, from the Year 1210.

ASSAY WEIGHTS.

Gold.— 4 grains = one carat ; 24 cflrats^one pound or one ounce.
Silver. — 20 dwts. = one ounce ; 12 ounces = one pound.

GOLD.

ALLOT.

.SILVER.

ALLOT.

A.D.

REIGN.

Carats.

Grs.

Carats.

Gib.

Ounces.

Dwts.

Ounces

Dwts.

1210
1257

11 John 

Fine Gold.

none.

1111

2 2

00

1818

41 Henry III. ...

1300

28 Edward I. ...

11
2
0
18
1344
18 Edward III...
23
H
0
oi
11
2
0
18
1395
18 Richard II....
23
H
0
°i
11
2
0
18
1401
3 Henry IV. ...
23
H
0
Oi
11
2
0
18
1422
9 Henry V.
23
H
0
Oi
11
2
0
18
1422
1 Henry VI. ...
23
H
0
oi
11
2
0
18
1465
4 Edward IV. ...
23
H
0
oi
11
2
0
18
1483
1 Richard III. ...
23
H
0
oi
11
2
0
18
1504
19 Henry VII....
23
H
0
oi
11
2
0
18
1531
23 Henry VIII...
23
H
0
Oi
11
2
0
18
1542
34 „ „ ...
23
0
1
0
10
0
2
0
1544
36 „ „ ...
22
0
2
0
6
0
6
0
1545
37 „ „.
20
0
4
0
4
0
8
0
1548
2 Edward VI. ...
20
0
4
0
4
0
8
0
1549
3 „ „
22
0
2
0
6
0
6
0
1550
4 „ ,,.. ...
23
H
0
oi
3
0
9
0
1551
5 ,, ,,
3
0
9
0
1552
6 „ „
23
H
0
Oi
11
1
0
19
1553
23
H
0
Oi
11
1
0
19
1559
23
H
0
oi
11
2
0
18
1603
23
H
0
oi
11
2
0
18
1626
2 Charles I 
23
H
0
oi
11
2
0
18
' 1649
1 Commonwealth
22
0
2
0
11
2
0
18
1660
12 Charles II. ...
22
0
2
0
11
2
0
18
1696
7 William III...
22
0
2
0
*11
2
0
18
1717
22
0
2
0
11
2
0
18
1797
37 George III ...
22
0
2
0
11
2
0
18
Note. — The Anglo-Scotch Gold Coins are all of 22 carats fine and 2 alloy.
30

ASSAY.
Manufacturers of gold and silver are required to register their
names and marks which indicate the same (usually their initials)
at the Assay Office of their district, and all articles sent in by
them to be assayed must be impressed with this maker's mark.
If they are then found to have been made in conformity with
the appointed regulations, a small quantity, not exceeding 8 troy
grains in the pound, is to be cut or scraped from them for trial of
their purity, according to the standard for which they are required
to be stamped. One moiety of the scrapings, or diet, as it is
called, is to be reserved for the assay, and the other, if the purity
prove to be correct, is to be put into that compartment of what is
called the diet box which appertains to its standard. These diet
boxes are proved once a year in the presence of a Lord of the
Treasury, and of such wardens of the several Halls as the
Government may think fit to appoint, except in the instances of
Birmingham and Sheffield, whose diet boxes are proved at the
Royal Mint.
The assay marks used at the Goldsmiths' Hall of London were
ordered to be the letters of the alphabet, changing every year.
We do not know with certainty when this plan was first adopted,
but it was probably as early as the time when the Goldsmiths'
Company were empowered to assay the precious metals, which
according to their ordinances, was in the year 1300. We can
trace these letters back with a degree of certainty to the fifteenth
century. This method of denotmg the year in which any piece of
plate was made and assayed, by placing upon it a letter of the
alphabet, enables us at the present day to ascertain the date of its
manufacture, if assayed at the Goldsmiths' Hall of London.
Different arrangements of the letters were adopted by the
Corporations of other towns, who subsequently had the privilege
of assaying granted them. The marks of the principal towns —
Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dublin, Exeter, Newcastle, and Birmingham,
we have succeeded in establishing, and they are given in a tabular
form, through the kindness of the local authorities, who readily
accorded leave to examine the records.
The Goldsmiths' Hall of London employ the letters A to U
inclusive, forming a cycle of twenty years, the character of the

31
alphabet being varied every succeeding cycle. These letters are
changed on the 30th of May in every year, the office suspending
business on the two . days preceding, and the diet box being
proved, on the 29th. Each letter is therefore used during the
moieties of two calendar years.
In a work published in 1678, entitled News from the Goldsmiths,
or a Tryal of Gold and Silver Wares, by W. T. Goldsmith, we
are told that — •
" There is a certain standard for gold and silver, according
to which standard the coins of this.. Kingdom (both gold and
silver) are made : and as good as that standard, all plate and
small wares in gold and silver is to be made, and that there may
be no defraud used by making any gold and silver work worse
than the standard, there is a very easy and sure way appointed
by law for the regulating those wares, the understanding of which
may be of signal benefit to all who buy and wear any sorts of
gold and silver wares whatsoever.
"As to London and the places adjacent, the Company of
Goldsmiths hath the oversight of those wares, and the tryal of
them committed to them ; and therefore three days in the week,
there is tryal made of any workman's wares (whose name and
mark is inrouled in their Assay Office) and whatsoever works they
try and find standard, is marked with these marks following ;
First, the workman's mark who made the wares (which is
usually the two first letters of his christian and surname, and
every workman's mark differs from others) ; the second is a
leopard's head crowned, the third is a lyon, the fourth is a single
letter (the letter which is used this present year being Wl, 1677-8);
and whatsoever plate or small wares have these marks on them, it
is not to be questioned bat that it is sterling or standard, that is
as good as money.
" But there being several sorts of small wares,<both in gold and
silver, which cannot be assayed and marked at Goldsmiths' Hall,
after it is finished : it is therefore sold with the private workman's
mark ; and to prevent defrauds in this, all workers in gold and
silver, in London and its suburbs, are required by law to make
known their marks, to the wardens of the Company of Goldsmiths,
at their Hall in Poster Lane, that one workman may not strike a
mark that is like another workman's ; and that any persons which
have wares marked with the workman's mark only, may, by
addressing themselves to the Company of Goldsmiths, find out

32
the makers of their wares; and if the wares wliich they have
marked, be found worse than standard, the Company of Gold
smiths will procure the aggrieved party recompence and punish
the workman.
" The reader cannot but be satisfied of the excellency of this
way of warranting silver ; but I shall shew you how it's neglected
to the publick's great wrong. Although the wardens have power
to search any goldsmith's shops and houses, and carry away any
works which they shall make choice to try them, whether they be
standard or not, and to find the owners if they find them worse
than standard ; yet the workers and sellers of gold and silver wares
being so numerous and dispersed in their dwellings to all parts
of the City and suburbs, it is not easie that all their small wares
can be found out, by the wardens of the Company to be tryed ;
they being sold therefore upon the bare workman's or shop
keeper's credit, and they having the marking of these wares
themselves ; there are these evils that do follow it.
"1. Some of their wares are not marked at all, though they
may very well bear marking (whereby they are forfeited, though
they be standard) .
" 2. Some of their wares are marked with private marks, which
are notinroulled at Goldsmiths' Hall: For some of them who have
a mark inroulled at Goldsmiths' Hall will have another mark not
inroulled ; which mark they will set upon adulterated wares ; and
this counterfeit mark shall be so like the inroulled mark, that it
will not be known to be the unlawful mark by any that doth not
know what marks are inroulled and what are not; for there is
only this difference; as if \ one over the other, is the mark
inroulled at Goldsmiths' Hall, then " p.b." (one by the other) may
be the counterfeit mark ; or if " s." be the inroulled mark, then
" i.s." may be the counterfeit, or any other way, according to the
workman's device," &c.
The following extract from the Touchstone for Gold and Silver
Wares will show what marks were in use in 1677, and the views
of the writer, himself a goldsmith, on the subject of marks : —
" The Company of Goldsmiths have caused to be made (according
to the aforesaid statutes and their Charter) puncheons of steel and
marks at the end of them, both great and small, of these several
sorts following, that is, the leopard's head crowned, the lyon; and
a letter, which letter is changed alphabetically every year; the

33
reason of changing thereof is (as I conceive) for that by the
aforesaid recited statutes it is provided, That if any silver work
that is worse than sterling be marked with the Company's mark,
the Wardens and Corporation for the time being shall make
recompense to the party grieved, so that if any such default
should happen, they can tell by the letter on the work in what
year it was assayed and marked, and thereby know which of their
own officers deceived them, and from them obtain a recompense.
These marks are every year made new for the use of the new
wardens; and although the assaying is referred to the Assay
Master, yet the Touch Wardens look to the striking the marks.
v " They have also made in a part of their Hall a place called by
them the Assay Office, wherein is a sworn weigher. His duty is
to weigh all silver work into the office, and enter the same into a
book kept for that purpose, and also to weigh it out again to the
owner; only four grains out of every twelve ounces that is
marked, is, according to their ancient custom, to be retained and
kept for a re-assaying once in every year, before the Lords of
the Council, in the Star Chamber at Westminster, and before a
jury of twenty-four able Goldsmiths, all the silver works they
have passed for good, the year foregoing.
"In this office is kept for publick view a Table or Tables,
artificially made in columns, that is to say, one column of hardened
lead, another of parchment or velom, and several of the same
sorts. In the lead columns are struck or entred the workers
marks (which are generally the first two letters of their christian
and surnames), and right agamst .them in the parchment columns
are writ and entred the owners names, according to the intent of
the words in the Statute (2 Henry VI. 14), to wit, ' And that the
sign of every Goldsmith be known to the Wardens of the Craft/
which said warden's duty is to see that the marks be plain and of
a fit size, and not one like another, and to require the thus
entering the said marks, and also the setting them clear and
visible on all gold and silver work, not only on every work, but
also on every part thereof that is wrought apart, and afterwards
soldered and made fast thereto, in finishing the same."
The same work gives an engraving of the marks used by the
Goldsmiths' Company for the year 1676, viz. The Leopard's Head
crowned, the Lion passant, and the Old English Letter T of a
peculiar form, being somewhat like an L, but evidently intended

34
for the former, as the same is used at the head of each page in
the word " Touchstone."
The letter is enclosed in a pointed shield. (See Cycle 12.)
Hence we observe that tables were kept in public view in the
Assay Office of the stamps of all the gold and silver plate makers;
their signs being struck or punched on a strip of hardened lead,
their names being written at length on parchment columns
immediately opposite, and this plan of striking the signs appears
to have been adopted and continued since 1423. Unfortunately
none of these tables have been preserved: but one very interesting
relic of the custom is in existence, namely, a large sheet of copper
closely stamped with makers' signs only, of large and small sizes,
but nothing is known of the date or the names of the workers
who used them. They appear to be of the end of the 16th or
beginning of the 17th century. However, it must have been
previous to 1698, for at that time the stamps were placed in a
book against the makers' names and date of entry ; since which,
records are fairly preserved in volumes, bound in parchment, in
the Goldsmiths' Hall, London.
THE DUTY.
a.d. 1719. 6 George I. A duty of sixpence per ounce troy
was imposed on all silver plate which should be imported or
made in Great Britain.
a.d. 1758. 31 George II. c. 32. The former Act was repealed,
and in lieu thereof a duty of forty shillings substituted, to be
taken out by every person trading in, selhng, or vending gold or
silver plate, and the licence to be renewed annually,
A.D. 1759. 32 George II. c. 14. The licence was increased to
five pounds per annum for every person trading in gold plate of
two ounces, and silver of thirty ounces and upwards; persons
dealing in gold and silver, of less weight than two pennyweights
of gold, or in silver not exceeding five pennyweights, in one
piece of goods, exempted.
a.d. 1784. 24 George III. The annual licence of five pounds
continued, and a duty of sixpence per ounce was again charged
on all manufactured silver, the payment of which (as well as the
subsequent increased duties) was and is still indicated by a stamp
of the reigning sovereign's head.

35
a.d. 1797. 37 GeorGe III. c. 90. By this Act the duty on gold
was placed at eight shillings per ounce, and silver at one shilling.
a.d. 1803. 43 George III. c. 69. The former Act of 24 Geo. III.
as regards the licence, was repealed, and new licences appointed,
viz. — For trading in gold more than two pennyweights and
under two ounces, and in silver over five pennyweights and
under thirty ounces, £2. 6s. per annum; for trading in gold of
two ounces in weight and upwards, and in silver of thirty ounces
and upwards, £5. 15s. per annum.
A.D. 1804. 44 George III. c. 98. The duty was increased, on
gold to sixteen shillings per ounce, and silver one shilling and
three pence per ounce.
a.d. 1815. 55 George III. c. 185. By this Act the duties were
raised, on gold to seventeen shillings per ounce, on silver to
eighteen pence, at which they still remain, watch cases being
exempt. Upon the exportation of plate (except gold rings and wares
under two ounces) a drawback of the whole duty is allowed, if the
plate be new and has never been used.
Gold and Silver Articles exempt from Control of
Assat Offices.
Gold Articles (12 Geo. II. c. 26).- — Jewellers' work, wherein
any jewels are set (other than mourning rings), rings, collets for
rings or other jewels, chains, necklace beads, lockets, buttons,
hollow or raised, sleeve buttons, thimbles, coral sockets and bells,
ferrils, pipe lighters, cranes for bottles, small book clasps, stock
or garter clasps jointed, very small nutmeg graters, snuff-box
rims, whereof the tops or bottoms are made of shell or stone,
sliding pencils, toothpick cases, tweezer cases, pencil cases, needle
cases, filligree work ; tippings or swages on stone or ivory cases ;
mounts, screws or stoppers to stone or glass bottles ; ornaments,
small or slight, put to amber or other eggs or urns; seals
wrought, seals in cornelian, or other stones set therein. Any
manufacture of gold or silver so richly engraved, carved or
chased, or set with jewels, as not to admit of an assay to be taken
of, or a mark to be struck thereon, without damaging, prejudicing,
or defacing the same. Things which by reason of their smallness
or thinness are not capable of receiving the marks, and not
weighing 10 dwts. of gold or silver each.
d 2

36

Silver Articles (30 Geo. III. c. 31). — Chains, necklace beads,
lockets, filligree work, shirt buckles, brooches, stamped medals,
spouts to china, stone, earthenware teapots. The foregoing may
be of any weight : — Tippings, swages, or mounts weighing not
more than 10 dwts. of silver each, except necks and collars for
castors, cruets, or glasses appertaining to any sort of stands or
frames. (30 Geo. III. c. 31). — All silver wares not weighing 5 dwts. of
silver each are exempt, exeept necks, collars and tops for castors ;
cruets or glasses appertaining to any sort of stands or frames ;
buttons for wearing apparel ; solid sleeve buttons ; solid studs not
having a bevelled edge soldered thereon; wrought seals; blank
seals, bottle tickets ; shoe clasps ; patch boxes ; salt spoons, salt
shovels, salt ladles; tea spoons, tea strainers; caddy ladles;
buckles (shirt buckles or brooches before mentioned excepted) ;
pieces to garnish cabinets, or knife cases, or tea chests, or
bridles, or stands, or frames.
Note. — All these articles are excepted, and are liable to be
assayed ; and all articles liable to be assayed, except watch cases,
are chargeable with duty.
For the sake of comparison, and to show the amount of business
done at the different Assay Offices, a table is here given, taken
from a return made to Parliament in March, 1 848, of the amount
in gold and silver plate, in ounces, stamped at the several Gold
smiths' Halls in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years,
with the amount of duty paid. The statement for the year 1847
only is as follows :. —

Goldsmiths' Halls.

Gold.
17«. per ounce.

Silver.
Is. fid.per otmce

Gross Duty on
amount stamped.

Ounces. 2,276 221
294
203
Nil. 78
5,196 62 5
70

Ounces. 42,985 379
41,597 12,382
54,012 1,651
983,250 28,72923,751
20,398 .

£. o. d.
5,158 9 10
216 17 3
3,369 18 7
1,101 12 9
4,050 18 10
190 5 0
78,160 17 0
2,207 18 11
1,786 2 0
1,324 16 11

Sheffield  ,  , 
York 
Dublin ..'.  ,,
Total 
8,405
1,209,134
97,567 17 1
37
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF MARKS.
1300 (28 Edw. 1). Leopard's head.
1336 (Ordinance of the Goldsmiths' Company). 1. Leopard's
head crowned. 2. Owner's or goldsmith's mark. Q.
Assayeris mark, or variable letter.
1379 (2 Rich. II). 1. Goldsmith's, "his own proper mark." 2.
"Mark of the city or borough." 3. Assayer's mark,
" appointed by the King."
1424 (2 Henry VI.) " Touch of the leopard's head," and " Mark
or touch of the workman."
1477 (16 Edw. IV). "Leopard's head crowned/' and "Mark of
the worker."
1576 (18 Eliz.) 1. "The goldsmith to set his mark thereon."
2. " Touchof the leopard's head crowned," and "marked
by the wardens."
1597 (Minutes of Goldsmiths' Company). " Her Majesty's Lion,"
" Alphabetical mark approved," and "Leopard's head,
limited by statute."
1675 (Goldsmith's order). "Lion," and "Leopard's head crowned,
or one of them."
1697 (8 & 9 Will. III). New Standard of Silver. " Lion's head
erased; Figure of Britannia and the maker's mark,
being the two first letters of his surname."
1700 (12 Will. III). York, Exeter, Bristol, Chester and Norwich
appointed to assay silver plate, and stamp it with the
marks of the lion's head erased and Britannia, and, in
addition to the marks of their cities, a variable mark or
letter in Roman character.
1702 (1 Anne). Newcastle added to the other cities for assaying
and stamping plate.
1719 (6 Geo. I). Old standard restored. The lion, leopard's
head, maker's mark and date mark, but both standards
were allowed by this Act simultaneously, varying the
respective marks.
1739 (12 Geo. II). Goldsmith's mark, "the initials of his christian
and surnames."
1773 (13 Geo. III). Bhmingham and Sheffield appointed for
assaying and stamping silver plate.
1784 (24 Geo. III). Duty mark of the King's head.
1798 (38 Geo. III). Standard of 18 carat gold marked with a
crown and 18.
1824 (5 Geo. IV)- Birmingham empowered to stamp gold.
1845 (7 & 8 Vict.) Gold of 22 carats to be stamped with a orown
and 22, instead of the lion passant.

ENGLAND.

I. — The Standard Mark.
The first mention made of the hon passant is in the records of
the Goldsmiths' Company, in May, 1597, where it is called " Her
Majesty's lion;" it is not referred to in any statute until 1675.
For gold of the old standard of 22 carats, and sterling silver
of 11 oz. 2 dwts., the mark is a hon passant. Previous to 1845
there was no distinctive mark between standard gold and sterling
silver. For silver of the new standard of 11 oz. 10 dwts. the marks
are a figure of Britannia and the hon's head erased, instead of
the leopard's head and lion passant (8 Will. III. 1697).
For gold of 18 carats, a crown and the figures 18, .instead of
the lion passant (38 Geo. III. 1798).
For gold of 22 carats, a crown and the figures 22, instead of
the lion passant (7 & 8 Vict. 1845).
II. — The Hall Mark.
1. London. A leopard's head crowned (the ordinances of the
Goldsmiths' Company of 1336, and subsequent Acts of Parliament).
2. York. Five lions on a cross (12 Will. III. 1700).
3. Exeter. A castle with 3 towers (12 Will. III. 1700).
4. Chester. A sword between three garbs or wheatsheafs
(12 Will. III. 1700).
5. Newcastle. Three castles (1 Anne, 1702).
6. Sheffield. A crown (13 Geo. III. 1773).
7. Birmingham. An anchor (13 Geo. III. 1773).

39

III. — Dtjtt Mark.
The head in profile of the reigning sovereign.
1784. 24 Geo. III. This mark indicates the payment of the
duty, and is impressed at the assay offices on every manufactured
article of standard gold and silver, that is hable to the duty after
payment to the officers of the Goldsmiths' Company, who are the
appointed receivers. IV. — Date Mark.
A letter of the alphabet. Each assay office has its peculiar
alphabetical mark, indicating the year in which the plate was
assayed and stamped; and therefore, plate that was stamped in
any other place than London, had to be, when entered for draw
back, accompanied by certificate of the date from the office in
which it was assayed and stamped.
In London the assay year commences on the 30th of May in
each and every year, and the date marks are continued regularly
with twenty letters of the alphabet, from A to U or V inclusive
(but always excepting the letters J, W, X, Y, Z), which were
used in succession. V. — The Maker's Mark.
Formerly this was some emblem, as a rose, a crown, a star, &c,
with or without the goldsmith's initials.
8 & 9 Will. III. In 1697 the marks of the goldsmiths were to
be expressed by the two first letters of their surnames.
1739. In 18 Eliz. ; 12 Geo. III. it was ordered that the makers
were to destroy their existing marks, which were the two first
letters of their surnames, and substitute the initials of their
christian and surnames.

40

LONDON ASSAY OFFICE LETTERS.

By the introduction in the annexed Table, of the shield used to
enclose the letters in each cycle, much assistance is given in
ascertaining the date of a piece of plate; but as several of the
alphabets are somewhat alike, a few remarks are appended to
each cycle to enable those who have not studied them sufficiently
to tell at a glance the peculiar variations in each. Care must be
taken in examining plate, to place the shield containing the date
letter with its pointed base downwards, or some confusion may
arise in mistaking b for q, p for d, H for u, &c.

LONDON ASSAY OFFICE LETTERS.

41

CYCLE 1.
Lombardio Capitals.

HENRY VI.

CYCLE 2.
Unknown.

EDWARD IV.

CYCLE 3.
LOMBARDIO.

CYCLE 4.
Black Letter, Small.

HENRY VII.

HENRY VIII.

1438^9 1439-0 1440-1 1441-21442-3 1443-4. 1444-5
1445-6 1446-7 1447-81448-9 1449-0 1450-1 1451-2
1452-31453-4 1454-5 1455-6
1456-71457-8

1458-91459-6 1460-1
EDWD. IV.
1461-2 1462-3 1463-4 1464-51465-61466-7
1467-8 1468-9 L469-0 1470-11471-21472-31473-4 1474-5
1475-6 1476-7 1477-8

1478-9 1479-0 1480-1
1481-2
EDWD. V.
1482-3
RICHD. III.
1483-4 1484-5
HENRY VII.
1485-6 1486-71487-8 1488-91489-01490-1 1491-21492-3 1493-41494-5 *
1495-61496-71497-8

1498-91499-01500,11501-2 1502-31503-4 1504-51505-61506-7 1507-8 1508-9
HENRY VIII.
1509-01510-1 1511-2 1512-3
1513-4 1514-5 1515-61516-7
1517-8

Three Stamps.
1. Leopard's Head.
2. Date Mark.
3. Maker's Mark.
No Lion passant.
No regular shield.

The stamps for this
Cycle are unknown.

Three Stamps.
1. Leopard's Head.
crowned in 1477.
2. Bate Mark.
3. Maker's Mark.
No Lion passant.
No regular shield.

Three Stamps.
1. Leopard's Head cr.
2. Date Mark.
3. Maker's Mark.
No Lion passant.
No regular shield.

42

LONDON ASSAY OFFICE LETTERS.

Three Stamps.
1. Leopard's Head
crowned.
2. Date Mark.
3. Maker's Mark.
No Lion passant.

No escutcheons

pas
che.

Form Stamps.
1. Leopard's Head cr.
2. Date Mark.
3. Maker's Mark.
4. The Lion passant
first used about 1545.
No esoutoheons.

Four Stamps.
1. Leopard's Head cr.
2. Lion passant.
3. Date Mark.
4. Maker's Mark.
The date letter first put
in a shield.

Four Stamps.
1. Leopard's Head cr.
2. Lion passant.
3. Date Mark.
4. Maker's Mark.
The letter put in a regu
lar shield.

LONDON ASSAY OFFICE LETTERS.

43

CYCLE 9.
Lombardic Caps.

JAMES I.

598-9
599-0600-1 601-2
602-3
AMES I.
603-4
604-5605-6 606-7607-8608-9609-0610-1
611-2
612-3
613-4614-5615-6
616-7
617-8

CYCLE 10.
Small Italics.

CHARI

$)
W®2

5>

o
2

ESI.

618-9619-0
620-1621-2 622-3
623-4 624-5
CHARLES I
" 625-6626-7
627-8628-9
629-0630-1
631-2
632-3633-4634-5
635-6
636-7
637-8

CYCLE 11.
Court Hand.

CROMWELL.

tu w

®

W

w

638-9639-0640-1641-2642-3643-4644-5645-6646-7 647-8 648-9
COMWTH 649-0650-1
651-2
652-3653-4
654-5
655-6
OLIVER. 656-7
657-8

CYCLE 12.
Black Letter Caps.

CHARLES II.

1658-9

1659-0
CHAR. II.
1660-1

1661-2 1662-3
1663-4
1664-51665-6
1666-71667-81668-91669-01670-1
1671-2
1672-31673-4
1674-5 1675-6
1676-7
1677-8

CYCLE 13.
Black Letter Small.

JAS.II.& WILL. III.

W 1

JAM

IttlJ
mw

678-9679-0680-1681-2
682-3683-46.84-5

ES II.
685-6

686-7

687-8
WILL.&MY. 688-9

689-0
690-1
691-2692-3
693-4694-5

WILL. III.
695-6

30 MAT
1696
TO MAE. 1697

NO LETTER.

Four Stamps.
1. Leopard's Head
crowned.
2. Lion passant.
3. Date Mark.
4. Maker's Mark.
The letter put in a
shield.

Four Stamps.
1. Leopard's Head cr.
2. Lion passant.
3. Date Mark.
4. Maker's Mark.
Letter in' shield, as
above.'

Four Stamps.
1. Leopard's Head cr.
2. Lion passant.
3. Date Mark.
4. Maker's Mark.
Letter, in a shield, as
above.

Four Stamps.
1. Leopard's Head cr.
2. Lion passant.
3. Date Mark.
4. Maker's Mark.

Four Stamps.
1. Leopard's Head cr.
2. Lion passant.
3. Date Mark.
4. Maker's Mark
The leopard's head was
large up to 1696 ; in after
years it was smaller.

44

LONDON ASSAY OFFICE LETTERS.

CYCLE 14.
Court Hand.

CYCLE 15.
Roman Capitals.

ANNE.

CEORCE I. & II.

CYCLE 16.
Eoman Small.

CEORCE II.

CYCLE 17.
Black Letter Caps.

CEORCE III.

CYCLE 18.
Eoman Small.

CEORCE III.

w

If

MAE. to MAY
1697
1697-8 1698-9
1699-01700-1
1701-2 ANNE.
1702-31703-4
1704-51705-6
1706-7
1707-81708-9
1709-01710-1
1711-2
1712-31713-4
GEORGE I.
1714-5
1715-6

Four Stamps.
1. Britannia.
2. Lion's Head erased.
3. Date Mark.
4. Maker's Mark.
The two first letters of
the maker's surname.

'6

¥

716-7
717-8
718-9
719-0
720-1
721-2
722-3
723-4724-5
725-6
726-7
GEO. II.
"727-8 728-9
729-0730-1
731-2732-3
733-4
734-5735-6

h
c

03

2£ n
o

Four Stamps.
1. Leopard's Head cr.
2 Lion passant.
3. Date Mark.
4. Maker's Mark.
The old standard re
vived in 1720, but both
the old and new were
used simultaneously.

f

^\^KJ

736-7
737-8
738-9
739-0
740-1741-2742-3
743-4
744-5
745-6
746-7747-8
748-9749-0
750-1751-2 52-353-4
54-555-6

W

mso

3D

m

Four Stamps.
1. Leopard's Header.
2. Lion passant.
3. Date Mark.
4. Maker's Mark.
After 1739 the initials
of maker's christian and
surname.

©
PS 1

m

756-7
757-8
758-9
759-0
GEO. III.
760-1
761-2
762-3
763-4
764-5765-6
766-7
767-8768-9769-0
770-1
771-2772-3
773-4
774-5
775-6

S

m

d

e
dp

CD

enGB
CD(m)

Four Stamps.
1. Leopard's Head cr.
2. Lion passant.
3. Date Mark.
4. Maker's Mark.
The leopard's head

LS
t
1776-7
1777-8
1778-9 1779-01780-1
1781-21782-3
1783-41784-5
1785-6
1786-7 1787-8
1788-91789-0
1790-1 1791-2
1792-3
1793-41794-51795-6
Five Stamps.
1. Leopard's Head cr.
2. Lion passant.
3. Date Mark.
4. King's Head.
5. Maker's Mark
smaller after 1721 thanl ^^ 1784 fte dnt,
be" ' ' markof the King's hea("
1
LONDON ASSAY OFFICE LETTERS.

.46

CYCLE 19.
Roman Capitals.

CYCLE 20.
Roman Small.

CYCLE 21.
Black Letter Caps.

CYCLE 22.
Black Letter Small.

CEORCE III.

CEO. IV -WILL. IV.

VICTORIA.

VICTORIA.

OB)

®El CD m

m
®

(E)

(T)

1796-7
1797-8 1 798-9
1799-0 1800-1 1801-2
1802-3 1803-41804-5
1805-6 1806-71807-8
1808-9 1809-0
1810-1
1811-2 1812-3
1813-4 1814-5
1815-6

II I

n
a r 8
© U

1816-7

a

1817-8

#

1818-9

c

1819-0

©

GEORGE IV.
1820-1

05

1821-2

Jf

1822-3

<S

1823-4

iii

1824-5

la:

1825-6

ny

1826-7

l£J

' 1827-8

m

1828-9

M

1829-0

te

WILLIAM IV.
1830-1

t£

1831-2

<a

1832-3

u

1833-4

M

1834-5

s

1835-6

&i

836-7
VICTORIA. : 837-8838-9
839-0 840-1
841-2842-3 843-4844-5
845-6 846-7
847-8848-9
849-0
850-1 851-2852-3 853-4
854-5855-6

AI

Five Stamps.
1. Leopard's Head
crowned.
2. Lion passant.
3. Date Mark.
4. Maker's Mark.
5. King's Head.

Five Stamps.
1. Leopard's Head.
2. Lion passant.
3. Date Mark.
4. Maker's Mark.
5. King's Head.
After 1823 the leopard's
head without a crown

Five Stamps.
1. Leopard's Head.
2. Lion passant.
3. Date Mark.
4. Maker's Mark.
5. Queen's Head.

£I
CD

i
II
®

g
Ii

1856-71857-8
1858-9 1859-0
1860-11861-2 1862-3
1863-4
1864-5
1865-6 1866-7
1867-8
1868-9 1869-01870-1
1871-2 1872-3
1873-4 1874-5
1875-6

Five Stamps.
1. Leopard's Head.
2. Lion passant.
3. Date "Mark.
4. Maker's Mark,
5. Queen's Head.

46

EXETER ASSAY OFFICE LETTERS.

A

AUGUST
1701-2

a

AUGUST
1725-6

A

AUGUST
1749-0

a

AUGUST
1773-4

B

1702-3

b

1726-7

B

1750-1

b

1774-5

C

1703-4

c

1727-8

C

1751-2

c

1775-6

D

1704-5

d

1728-9

D

1752-3

d

1776-7

E

1705-6

e

1729-0

E

1753-4

e

1777-8

F

1706-7

f

1730-1

F

1754-5

f

1778-9

G

1707-8

g

1731-2

G

1755-6

g

1779-0

H

1708-9

h

1732-3

H

1756-7

h

1780-1

I

1709-0

i

1733-4

I

1757-8

•
i

1781-2

K

1710-1

k

1734-5

K

1758-9

k

1782-3

L

1711-2

1

1735-6

L

1759-0

1

1783-4

M

1712-3

m

1736-7

M

1760-1

m

1784-5

N

1713-4

n

1737-8

N

1761-2

n

1785-6

0

1714-5

o

1738-9

O

1762-3

o

1786-7

P

1715-6

P

1739-0

P

1763-4

P

1787-8

Q

1716-7

q

1740-1

Q

1764-5

q

1788-9

R

1717-8

r

1741-2

R

1765-6

r

1789-0

S

1718-9

f

1742-3

S

1766-7

f

1790-1

T

1719-0

t

1743-4

T

1767-8

t

1791-2

V

1720-1

V

1744-5

V

1768-9

V

1792-3

W

1721-2

w

1745-6

W

1769-0

w

1793-4

X

1722-3

X

1746-7

X

1770-1

X

1794-5

Y

1723-4

y

1747-8

Y

1771-2

7

1795-6

Z

1724-5

z

1748-9

Z

1772-3

z

1796-7

Five Stamps.
1. Lion's Head erased.
2. Britannia.
3. Castle.
4. Date Mark.
S. Maker's Initials.
After 1719 the marks of
old standard resumed.

Five Stamps.
1. Lion passant.
2. Leopard's Head.
3. Castle.
4. Date Mark.
5. Maker's Initials.

Five Stamps.
1. Lion passant.
2. Leopard's Head.
3. Castle.
4. Date Mark.
5. Maker's Initials.

Fivj
1. Lion
2. Castl
3. Date
4. Make
5. Duty Hes

3 Stamps.
jassant.
Mark.r's Initials.
mark of King's
d, 1784.

EXETER ASSAY OFFICE LETTERS.

47

A

AUGUST
1797-8

a

AUGUST
1817-8

a

AUGUST
1837-8

a

AUGUST
1857-8

B

1798-9

b

1818-9

as

1838-9

fc

1858-9

C

1799-0

c

1819-0

c

1839-0

i

1859-0

D

1800-1

d

1820-1

B

1840-1

*

1860-1

E

1801-2

e

1821-2

e

1841-2

t

1861-2

F

1802-3

f

1822-3

$

1842-3

t

1862-3

G

1803-4

g

1823-4

<&

1843-4

0

1863-4

H

1804-5

h

1824-5

ft

1844-5

ft

1864-5

I

1805-6

•
i

1825-6

3

1845-6

i

1865-6

K

1806-7

k

1826-7

Ma

1846-7

fc

1866-7

L

1807-8

1

1827-8

%

1847-8

I

1867-8

M

1808-9

m

1828-9

fit

1848-9

m

1868-9

N

1809-0

n

1829-0

&

1849-0

n

1869-0

0

1810-1

o

1830-1

<&

1850-1

a

1870-1

P

1811-2

P

1831-2

»

1851-2

*>

1871-2

Q

1812-3

q

1832-3

<&

1852-3

<*

1872-3

R

.1813-4

r

1833-4

3&

1853-4

r

1873-4

S

1814-5

f

1834-5

§3>

1854-5

g

1874-5

T

1815-6

t

1835-6

%

1855-6

t

1875-6

V

1816-7

V

1836-7

m

1856-7

u

1876-7

Five Stamps.

Five Stamps.

Five Stamps.

Five

Stamps.

1. Lion passant.
2. Castle.
3. King's Head.
4. Date Letter.
5. Maker's Initials.

1. Lion passant.
2. Castle.
3. King's Head.
4. Date Letter.
5. Maker's Initials.

1. Lion passant.
2. Castle.
3. Queen's Head.
4. Date Letter.
5. Maker's Initials.

1. Lion
2. Cast
3. Que<
4. Date
S. Mak

passant.
le. n's Head.
Letter.
er's Initials.

Note. — In the examination of the Assay Masters of the existing Assay Offices in
England, before a Committee of the House of Commons in 1773, they all state that the
*' leopard's head " was one of the marks then in use ; but after the passing of the Act
appointing Birmingham and Sheffield in the same year, all the offices appear to have
discontinued that mark except York and Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

48 NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE ASSAY OFFICE LETTERS.

1702

a

1721

A

1740

e^f

1759

1703

M

1722

B

1741

m

176Q

1704

€

1723

C

1742

?

1769*

1705
B
1724
D
1743
@f
1770
1706
<t
1725
E
1744
<§
1771
1707
S
1726
F
1745
^
1772
1708
<3
1727
G
1746
G
1773
1709
ft
1728
H
1747
H
1774
1710
I
1775
1711
J
1729
J
1748
N
1712
K
1730
K
1749
K
1776
1713
L
1731
L
1750
L
1777
1714
M
1732
M
1751
M
1778
1715
N
1733
N
1752
N
1779
1716
O
1734
O
1753
O
1780
P
1717
P
1735
P
1754
P
1781
1718
Q
1736
Q
1755
Q
1782
D
1719
R
1737
R
1756
R
1783
E
1720
S
1738
S
1757
S
1784
T
1739
T
1758
T
U
W X Y Z
17851786
1787 1788
1789 1790
* A lapse of eight years.
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE ASSAY OFFICE LETTERS. 49

A

1791

A

1815

A

1839

a

1864

B

1792

B

1816

B

1840

b

1865

C

1793

C

1817

C

1841

c

1866

D

1794

D

1818

D

1842

d

1867

E

1795

E

1819

E

1843

e

1868

F

1796

F

1820

F

1844

f

1869

G

1797

G

1821

G

1845

g

1870

H

1798

H

1822

H

1846

h

1871

I

1799

I

1823

IJ

18471848

•
i

1872

K

1800

K

1824

K

1849

k

1873

L

1801

L

1825

L

1850

1

1874

M

1802

M

1826

M

1851

m

1875

N

1803

N

1827

N

1852

n

1876

O

1804

O

1828

O

1853

o

1877

P

1805

P

1829

P

1854

P

1878

Q

1806

Q

1830

Q

1855

q

1879

R

1807

R

1831

R

1856

r

1880

s

1808

S

1832

s

1857

s

1881

T

1809

T

1833

T

1858

t

1882

U

1810

U

1834

U

1859

u

1883

w

1811

w

1835

W

1860

w

1884

X

1812

X

1836

X

1861

X

1885

Y

1813

Y

1837

Y

1862

y

1886

Z

1814

Z

1838

Z

1863

z

1887

Note. — The usual stamps found upon plate assayed at Newcastle are: —
1. The Lion passant. 2. The leopard's head crowned. 3. The town markof
three castles. 4. The letter or date mark ; and 5. The maker's initials. After
1784 the duty mark of the sovereign's head is added.

i-^(NCOTp^COt^OOOiO'-<(NCO-,*fiOC01^00a50r-tCNCO-«*i»0
tx 1 1 ¦ 1 1 I 1 1 1 I 1 1 I 1 1 1 I I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
SO >— '(MCO-Trl^OCOr^OOOSOi— i<NCQTr'iOCO.t~-OOCSOi— i <N CO T
pif3 lO «5*0 U3«5 IQ IQ US to CO CO CO COCO CO. CO COCO CO .t^ £— £— t— I>-
^ 00 CO0OGO0O0O0O0OOO0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O

Five
Stamps. 1.
Anchor. 2.
Lion passant. 3.
DateMark. 4.
Queen'sHead. 5.
Maker'sInitials.

<!pqoftHfce>H^Mr-^!z;OI^ G>P3 GCHpf>^:XpHiSl

CO 1>- 00 Oi © i— i(NCO-*iOCDr^00050r-iGSCO rriUiCOt^OOOiO
hH 1 .' ^1 II I II Ii II II 11 II 1 1 II II 1
jKiCOr^OOOiOi— 'CNCOTfiOCOt^OOOiO.— 'CM CO^iOCOl^OOOi
BoiiNNNiNn'ncijnnnnnrtn*** -*ti -sjh ^p -^ tt< ti -*1
^00 0000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000

Five
Stamps. 1.
Anchor. 2.
Lion passant. 3.
DateMark. 4.
Sovereign's
Head. 5.
Maker'sInitials.

tt&&ffi$fe$i^Mrt§%®»etttftld8&$*<$5N

b« 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
3 Oi o — cNcorr'>ocor-oo050r-i(Nco^r'iocoi^oooiO — gmco^t
SOiOOOOOOOOOO — i— 'I— i^-t— ii— ii— i^i— ii— i(M<jqC<l<NC<l
t^- OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

FiveStamps. 1.
Anchor. 2.
Lion passant. 3.
DateMark. 4.
Sovereign's
Head. 5.
Maker's Initials.

03 rO O^ CD 1+H OJD^ «pH •i-j.isj -H g fl O ft ^ ^H 02+5 fj r> ^ >< r>j N

^iotoi>ot)050-i<Nn*'Offli>QOffiOwNmn,ioffli>a)oi
S 00 ^r1OC01>'000iO^-(NC»3'*|4OC0t^000iOi— i <M CO "* *d CD 1>- OO
B t— l^r^t^£^t^t^000O0O00000000QO0000OiOiOiOiO5OiOiOlOi

FiveStamps. 1.
Anchor. 2.
Lion passant. 3.
DateMark. 4.
Sovereign's
Head, 1784. 5.
Maker's
Initials.

^fflOflHfe^WHHsy ^'g & o PM 0>pq GQHp^^XHtSj

pq

p.
B
03

&
T3

c S

P^-5

O 03
as

SCOTLAND.

EXTRACTS FROM STATUTES AND ORDINANCES,
WITH EXPLANATOEY NOTES.
In the reign of James II. a.d. 1457, a statute was enacted for
" the reformation of gold and silver wrought by Goldsmiths and
to eschew the deceiving done to the King's lieges, there shall be
ordained in each Burgh were Goldsmiths work, one understanding
and cunning man of good conscience, who shall be deacon of the
craft ; and when work is brought to the Goldsmith and it be gold,
he shall give it forth again in work, no worse than twenty grains
and silver eleven grains fine, and he shall take his work to the
deacon of the craft that he may examine that it be fine as above
written, and the said deacon shall set his mark and token thereto,
together with the said Goldsmith's ; and when there is no Gold
smith but one in the town he shall show that work tokened with
his own mark, to the head officers of the town which shall have a
mark in like manner ordained therefore, and shall be set to the
said work."
In 1473, it was enacted that places were to be appointed in
Scotland wherein goldsmiths should examine the gold, and when
sufficient " set their marks thereto."
In the records of the Town Council of the year 1483, we read
that the goldsmiths, with other trades, under the general title of
Hammermen, presented a petition complaining of certain irregu
larities : —
" In the fikst thair complaint bure and specifyit that thay war
rycht havely hurt and put to great poverty throw the doun-
cumming of the blak money walking warding and in the payment
of yeldis and extentis quhilkis thay war compellit to do be use.
"And in lykwyis that thai wer havely hurt be the dayly mercat
maid throw the hie street in cramis and on the baksyde the toun
in haichling and hammermennis werk pertaining to thame of thair

52
craft in greit dishonour to the burgh and in braking of the auld
gude rule and statutis of thair craft and upon uther skathis that
thay sustenit in defalt of reformatioun."
Whereupon it was ordered there should be no " oppin mercat
usit of ony of the saidis craftis upon the hie streittis nor in cramis
upon buirdis," &c. " That upoun ilk Settirday eftir none tua or
thrie of the worthiest maisters and maist of knowledge ofthe said
craftis quhilk sail haif powar with ane officiar with thame to pas
serch and se all mennis work gif it be sufficient in stuff and
workmanschip gude worth and hable work to serve the Kingis
liegis with and quhair it beis fundin faultive to forbid the samyn
to be sauld under the paine of escheitt."
In the reign of James III., 1483, also it is advised and con
cluded by the Lords of the Articles, " That henceforth there be in
each burgh of the realm were goldsmiths are, one deacon and one
searcher of the craft, and that each goldsmith's work be marked
with his own mark, the deacon's mark, and the mark of the town,
silver of the fineness of eleven penny fine, and gold of twenty-two
carats fine."
In 1849, another statute to the same effect was ordained ; by
this each goldsmith was to have one special mark, his works were
to be of the fineness of the new works of silver of Bruges, and
there was to be a deacon of the craft, who was to examine and
mark the works.
In 1555, " Forasmuch as there is great fraud, &c, it is ordained
that no goldsmith make in work nor set forth either his own or
other men's silver, under the just fineness of eleven penny fine,
under the pain of death and confiscation of all their goods and
moveables ; and that every goldsmith mark the silver work with
his own mark, and with the town's mark ; also that no goldsmith
set forth either his own or other men's gold, under the just fine
ness of 22 carats fine, under the pain aforesaid."
Letter under the Privy Seal by King James VI. in favour of the
Deacon and Maisteris of the Goldsmyth Craft, Jany. 3, 1586,
which empowered them to search for gold and silver, and to try
whether it were of the fineness required by former Acts of Parlia
ment, and seize such as should be deficient. That it shall not be
lawful for any except the masters of the craft to melt any gold or
silver work unless it be first shown to them to see whether it has
been stolen (the libertie of our Soveraine Lordis cunyiehous
alwyis exceptit).

53

Act and Statute of the Town Council of Edinburgh, in favour of
the Incorporation of Goldsmyths, Aug. 20, 1591.
" The samin day the Provost baillies and counsell, and Adame
Newtoune, baxter, Cudbert Cranstoun, furrour, William Blythman,
flescheour, Thomas Weir, masoun, Eobert Meid, wohster, William
Cowts, walker, Thomas Brown, bonetmaker, of the remanent
deykins of crafts being covenit in counsall anent the supplicatioun
gevin in before thame be George Heriott, deykin of the gold-
smythis, for himselff and in name and behalff of the remanent
brother of the said craft."
The tenour of these articles which were agreed to, referred to
the taking of apprentices for a term of seven years, that every
master shall have served his apprenticeship, and three years over
and above, to make himself more perfect therein, and have given
proof to the deacon of the craft of his experience, both in work
manship and knowledge of the fineness, of the metals, &c.
Only those admitted by the deacon and masters were to work,
melt, or break down, or sell any gold or silver work, under
penalty of twenty pounds, or imprisonment.
That no goldsmith melt any work without first showing it to
the deacon to see whether it was stolen, nor gild any lattoun or
copper work.
By the foregoing enactments it will be seen that only three
marks are referred to, namely: — the Goldsmith's mark, the
Deacon's mark, and the Town mark — the first was the initials
of the maker's name, the second the initials of the deacon's name,
and the third the castle, indicating the City of Edinburgh — and
nothing is said about a variable letter. The first mention of it
we find in the Minutes of the Goldsmiths' Company, is in Sep
tember, 1681, when a small black letter a was ordered to be the
letter for the ensuing year; after this the letter is ordered annually
in alphabetical order, from A to Z in cycles of twenty-five years.
In many cases the letter is stamped at the top of the page with
the identical punch used for the plate.
The Charter of King James VII., incorporating the Society of
Goldsmiths of Edinburgh, dated 10 November, 1687, ratifies the
letters patent of James VI., ofthe 3 Jany. 1586, in every respect,
and amplifies their power in many instances, such as granting
them the privilege of an Incorporated Society, with power to

54
acquire, purchase and possess lands, &c, enact statutes and, laws
for the regulation of the trade, &c.
" And because the art and science of goldsmiths, for the most
part, is exercised in the City of Edinburgh, to which our subjects
frequently resort, because it is the seat of our supreme Parliament,
and of the other supreme courts, and there are few goldsmiths in
other cities : Therefore we by these presents give and grant to
the said deacon and masters, full power, faculty and authority to
investigate, inquire into and examine the gold or silver work, and
all gems and stones set in gold or silver, or made and wrought in
any other city, royal burgh, or barony, market, or fair, or exposed
to sale any where within our said Kingdom," &c.
We have no evidence of any plate being marked in Scotland,
but at the Goldsmiths' Hall, Edinburgh, until Glasgow had the
privilege of doing so, in May, 1819.
The first entry in the books of the Goldsmiths' Company of
Edinburgh where the thistle is noticed is in the year 1759, and
after that date, for about twenty years, the minutes year by year
particularly name the thistle to be used (instead of the assay
master's initials) along with the letter for the year.
The statute 6 & 7 of Wm. IV., 1836-7, is entitled "An Act to
fix the standard qualities of gold and silver plate in Scotland, and
to provide for the assaying and marking thereof." The marks
required by this Act are —
For gold of 22 carats — 1. The maker's initials. 2. The thistle.
3. The mark of the city. 4. The variable letter. 5. The duty
mark of the sovereign's head.
For gold of 18 carats, the same, with the additional stamp of a
crown and 18.
For silver of the old standards of 11 oz. 2 dwts., the same as
for gold of 22 carats. For silver of the new standard of 11 oz.
10 dwts. the same stamps, with the additional mark of Britannia.
The duty on plate and licences is the same as in England, the
payment of which is denoted by the sovereign's head since the
passing of the Act in 1784.
The accompanying Table is arranged from the minutes of the
Goldsmiths' Company of Edinburgh, where the date letters appear
noted almost every year from 1681, verified by pieces of plate
bearing dates. The goldsmiths' year is from Michaelmas to
Michaelmas (29th Sept.) The hall mark or town mark of a castle

55
was used as early as in 1457, and is referred to in that Act before
quoted, and alluded to again in 1483 and 1555.
Previous to 1681, when our table commences, no date mark
appears to have been used. On a piece of plate said to be of the
sixteenth century, exhibited at Edinburgh in 1856, in the Museum
of the Archaeological Institute, we find a castle (the middle tower
higher than the two others, as usual), and two other stamps of the
letter E. These are, perhaps, the town mark, assay master's, and
maker's mark. The silver mace belonging to the City of Edin
burgh, and known from the town records to have been made by
George Robertson in 1617, has three marks, viz., the castle, the
cipher G.R., and the letter G.
The High Church plate, dated 1643, and the Newbattle Church
plate, dated 1646, and several others of the same date, have only
the town mark, the assay master's mark, and that of the maker.
Cycle 1 has an old English small letter from a to }, omitting
\ and tt, in all 24 letters, all given in the minutes.
There were thus 4 stamps used instead of 3, as formerly.
Cycle 2 has Roman capitals from A to Z, omitting the letter J
only, viz., 25 letters.
Cycle 3. Italic capitals, 25 letters.
Cycle 4. Black letter capitals, 25 letters, but the J and W being
omitted, another sign of " & " is added to make up the
number. In the year 1 759 the standard mark of a thistle
was introduced instead of the assay master's initials,
which change was noted in the minutes. These marks
are verified by pieces of a service, called the "Cluny
plate," all of one pattern, and made by the same maker
in various years.
Cycle 5. Roman capitals, commencing with A in 1780, and
finishing with Z in 1805. In 1784 the duty mark of
the sovereign's head was introduced, and the letter G
is repeated in 1787, making 26 letters, the J being
omitted.
Cycle 6.. Small Eoman letters, from a 1806 to z 1831, including
the letter j, in all 26.
Cycle 7. Black letter capitals; again omitting the J, we have
25 letters.
Cycle 8. Egyptian, or block capitals.

56

SCOTLAND.

I. — The Standard.
For Edinburgh — A Thistle (after 1759).
For Glasgow — A Lion eampant.
II. — 'The Hall Mark.
For Edinburgh — A Castle.
For Glasgow — A Tree, a Fish and Bell.
III. — The Duty Mark.
The Sovereign's Head, indicating payment ofthe duty of 17s.
per oz. on gold, and Is. 6d. per oz. on silver.
IV.— The Date Mark.
A Lettee op the Alphabet. The custom has been to use the
letters alphabetically from A to Z, omitting J, thus making a
cycle of 25 years (with some exceptions).
V. — The Makee's Name.
Formerly some device, with or without his initials ; afterwards
the initials of his christian and surname.

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oo-3csotH^cojoi— iOco oof*.
09
59

GLASGOW.

Glasgow was made an assay town by the 59 Geo. III. (May,
1819). The district comprised Glasgow and forty miles round,
and it was directed that all plate made in that district should be
assayed at that office. .
The peculiar mark of the Company is a tree growing out of a
mount, with a bell pendant on the sinister branch, and a bird on
the top branch, over the trunk of the tree a salmon in fesse, in its
mouth an annulet.
The Marks used on plate stamped at Glasgow are- —
1. The standard, a lion rampant.
2. The hall mark, the arms of the city, as described above.
3. The maker's mark, viz., his initials.
4. The date mark, or variable letter, changed on the 1st July
in every year.
5. The duty mark of the sovereign's head.
For gold of 18 carats the figures 18 are added, and for silver of
the new standard, ^Britannia, instead of the lion rampant.
The Scotch Act of 6 & 7 Wm, IV. 1836-7, in some respects
extended to Glasgow, although it is generally regulated by the
59th of Geo. III. ; but they have-not adopted the marks prescribed
by this statute of 1836, and continue those previously in use, the
only difference however is, that the lion rampant takes the place
of the thistle.

Other Towns in Scotland seem to have availed themselves of
the early Acts of Parliament, and used their own Town marks. —
Both Perth and St. Andrews had their Town marks, the former a
spread eagle, the latter a St. Andrew's cross, and examples of
these are still in existence. That of Perth on the West Church
plate in 1771, along with all the Edinburgh marks of that date,
and that of St. Andrew's on the Parish Church plate, bearing
date 1671.

60

GLASGOW ASSAY OFFICE LETTERS.

A

1st July.
1819-0

N

1st July
1832-3

£

1st July.
1845-6

*

1st July.
1858-9

B

1830-1

0

1833-4

B

1846-7

0

1859-0

C

1831-2

P

1834-5

C

1847-8

i

1860-1

D

1823-3

Q

1835-6.

a

1848-9

a

1861-3

E

1833-4

R

1836-7

e

1849-0

&

1863-3

F

' 1824-5

S

1837-8

$

1850-1

&

1863-4

G

1835-6

T

1838-9

#

1851-3

%

1864-5

H

1836-7

U

1839-0

*

1853-3

m

1865-6

I

1827-8

V

1840-1

3

1853-4

w

1866-7

J

1828-9

w

1841-2

3

1854-5

»

1867-8

K

1829-0

X

1842-3

&

1855-6

f

1868-9

L

1830-1

Y

1843-4

%

1856-7

i

1869-0

M

1831-2

Z

1844-5

jm

1857-8

%

1870-1

Five Stamps.
1. Lion rampant.
2. Tree, Fish, and Bell.
3. Sovereign's Head.
4. Date Letter.
5. Maker's Initials.

Five £
1. Lion ram]
2. Tree, Fisl
3. Queen's E
4. Date Lett
5. Maker's L

TAMPS. ant.
i, and Bel
ead.
er.
aitials.

i.

IRELAND.

The Goldsmiths' Company in Dublin, has the exclusive manage
ment of the assaying and marking of wrought gold and silver
plate in Ireland.
The harp, and subsequently the harp crowned, was the original
hall or district mark for all Irish manufactured plate assayed in
Dublin, and found to be standard, and was used long previous to
the charter granted by Charles I., 22 December, in the year 1638,
in the thirteenth year of his reign, to the Corporation of Gold
smiths of Dublin, Ireland. This charter adopted for Ireland the
standards then in use in England, viz. — 22 carats for gold, and
11 oz. 2 dwts. for silver. The harp crowned has been continued
in use ever since, in pursuance of a clause contained in that
charter, and also by the Act 23 & 24 Geo. III. c. 23, s. 3, 1784.
The figure of Hibernia was used by order of the Commissioners
of Excise in the year 1730, when a duty was first imposed, to
denote the payment of the duty, viz. — sixpence per ounce on
manufactures of silver plate, and at eight shillings per ounce on
gold plate.
The King's head, or the head of the reigning sovereign, is
affixed to denote the payment of the duly, by the 47 Geo. III.,
Sess. 2, c. 15, s. 6, 10 August, 1807, in which Act no notice was
taken of the former mark, of Hibernia, and the two marks were
continued. In the year 1784 a Company of Geneva Watch Makers came to
Ireland, and commenced an establishment near Waterford, in the
County of Waterford, and the place or locality of this establish
ment was called New Geneva. An Assay Office, and a deputy
assay-master or assayer were granted to them at that place, under
the provisions ofthe 23 & 24 Geo. III. c. 23. This Act came into
operation on the 1st June, 1 784, and repeals so much of the 3rd
of Geo. II. as respects the assaying of gold, or regulating the

62
manufacture, assaying or exchange or sale of gold, or the duty on
any manufacture of gold in Ireland. The only standard of gold
allowed by the Act 3 Geo. II. was that of 22 carat fine; this was
altered by the 23 & 24 Geo. III. c. 23, whereby three standards
are provided of 22, 20, and 18 carats fine, respectively. These
standards were authorised by this Act to facilitate and encourage
the manufacture of gold and silver wares and watch cases, &c,
&c, in Ireland, and especially at New Geneva.
This establishment and assay office did not continue to work
over five or six years, and with this exception the Assay Office in
Dublin has been, and is, the only one in Ireland, and has power
and jurisdiction in all parts of Ireland.
The marks directed by this Act are : —
1. Standard Gold of 22 carats. — The figures 22 and the initials
of the christian and surnames of the maker, and the harp crowned,
if stamped in the Assay Office in Dublin — or the harp crowned,
with a bar across the harp strings, if stamped in the Assay Office
at New Geneva, Waterford.
2. Standard Gold of 20 carats. — The figures 20, and the initials
of the christian and surnames of the maker, and a plume of three
feathers, if stamped in the Assay Office in Dublin — or a plume of
two feathers, if stamped in the Assay Office at New Geneva,
Waterford. 3. Standard Gold op 18 carats. — The figures 18, and the initials
of the christian and surnames of the maker, and an unicorn's head,
if stamped in the Assay Office in Dublin — or the unicorn's head
with a collar on the neck, if stamped in the Assay Office at New
Geneva, Waterford.
For description of articles that are exempted from duty and
marking by this Act, see Sec. 6.
By the 11th sec. of this Act (23 & 24 Geo. III. c. 23) it is enacted,
" That on and after the 1st June, 1784, every person making, or
causing to be made, any manufactures of gold, are to enter an
impression of his or her new marks or punches made as aforesaid,
with his or her name and place of abode, in either of the said
Assay Offices, upon paying the sum of five shillings to the assayer
or wardens, who are hereby required to make, on a plate of pewter
or copper, impressions of such marks or punches ; and also entries
of such marks or punches, with the names and places of abode of
the owners thereof, in a book or books to be carefully kept for

63
that purpose, if such owners be resident in Dublin, or at New
Geneva. And that no person or persons shall be entitled to have
any manufactures of gold, made, or caused to be made by him or
her, assayed or stamped, at either of the said Assay Offices, until
after same have been stamped by the maker, and until after such
impression and entry have been made at such office of the mark
or punch of said person or persons, which denotes the particular
standard of such manufactures of gold ; and that no manufacture
of gold shall be assayed or stamped at the said Assay Offices, if
marked with any other mark or punch but such as is duly
entered; and that no manufacture of gold shall be assayed or
stamped at said Assay Offices unless such gold work be marked
with the mark which denotes the true standard of same."
The maker's marks were in use, and were also registered, at
the time of the passing of this Act, and for many years previously,
in accordance with other Acts of Parliament, and the practice of
the London Hall. The manufacturers, were required to stamp
and register their mark punches in the Assay Office in Dublin,
previous to the year 1694, and this practice has been continued
to the present time.
These three standards of 22, 20, and 1 8 carats, directed by this
Act, were continued by another Act, subsequently passed, namely,
the 47 Geo. III.,' Sess. 2, c. 15, s. 3, 10 August, 1807, and are
still in use.
In addition to these standards, three lower standards of 15, 12,
and 9 carats, are also provided by the 17 & 18 Vict, from and
after the 22nd December, 1854, for gold wares^-rthese standards
are subject, to duty,. assaying, and marking with the usual marks,
and the figures 15, 12 or 9, to denote the true standard of same.
By the 5 & 6 Vipt. c. 47, s. 59-60, the several Assay Offices in
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, are directed
and empowered to assay and mark Foreign manufactured gold
and silver plate; and also to assay and mark,a^any of the said
Assay Offices, gold and silver plate manufactured in any part of
the said United Kingdom, of Great, Britain and Ireland.
Previous to the passing pf this Act, each of the Assay Offices
had power only to assay and mark gold and silver plate manu
factured within their own districts.
N.B. — The mark punch of the resident shopkeeper, or importer
of plate, is required to be registered, in respect of assaying and

64
marking Foreign plate, or plate manufactured out of the district
of the Assay Office that it is sent to be assayed ; but the maker's
marks are not required unless he is resident in the city, or town,
or district of the assay.
The variable letter of the year is the date mark, and is impressed
on all manufactured gold and silver plate that is stamped at the
Assay Office in Dublin, in accordance with the practice of the
Goldsmiths' Hall in London, but the letter, and also the character
of the letter, used in Dublin in each year, is not the same as is
used in London, in each corresponding year. Thus for example
the London date mark in the year 1860-61, was the letter (t) old
English small, and the Dublin date mark, in the same year, was
the letter (p) Eoman small. The Dublin alphabet, ending with
the letter (Z) on the 29th or 30th day of May, 1821, was in
Eoman capitals ; the character of the letter was then changed for
Eoman small, commencing with the letter (a), and was continued
with the succeeding letters annually, in the same character, until
about the 30th day of September, 1825, when the small Eoman
letter (e) was changed, and Eoman capitals again used, beginning
with (E) ; this was done in compliance with the order of the
Commissioners of Stamps, to denote the transfer of the duty from
the Commissioners and Collectors of Excise to the Commissioners
of Stamps, by the Act 6 Geo. IV. c. 118 ; and also to mark the
change of the standard of silver made in Ireland at that time, by
having to adopt the practice of the London Hall in marking silver
plate, at an allowance of only one pennyweight and a half below
the standard — this was also by order of the Commissioners of
Stamps, and according to the 47 Geo. III. c. 15, Sess. 2.
Previous to this order Irish manufactured silver plate used to be
marked in Dublin, at some periods, as standard, at an allowance
of from two and a half to three and a half pennyweight worse
than the standard, consequently Irish sterling, manufactured
previous to the 13th August, 1825, was inferior to English
sterling, and to the Irish sterling subsequently manufactured.
The date mark has been used in Dublin from a very early
period, as it appears to have been in use previous to the year
1646.

65
IRELAND.

I. — The Standard.
For Dublin — A harp crowned for gold of 22 carats, and silver
of 11 oz. 2 dwts.
For gold of 22 carats — A harp crowned and the figures 22 ;
23, 24 Geo. III. (1784).
For gold of 20 carats — A plume of three feathers and 20.
(1 June, 1784.)
For gold of 18 carats — An unicorn's head and the figures 18.
(1 June, 1784.)
In addition to these standards, three lower standards of 15, 12,
and 9 carats, are provided by the 17 & 18 Vict., on and after
22nd December, 1854, for gold wares.
For New Geneva (from the 1st June, 1784, which lasted five
or six years).
For gold of 22 carats — A harp crowned and erased (a bar
across) and the figures 22.
For gold of 20 carats — A plume of two feathers and the
figures 20.
For jjold of 18 carats — An unicorn's head, with collar and
the figures 18.
II. — The Hall Mark.
For Dublin — A figure of Hibernia, used since 1730.
III. — The Duty Mark.
The Sovereign's Head, used to denote the payment of duty.
IV. — The Maker's Mark.
Some device, with or without the initials of the goldsmith;
later the initials of his christian and surname.
V. — The Date Mark.
A Letter of the Alphabet, changing every year from A to Z,
omitting J, in cycles of twenty-five years. There is reason to
believe that other characters than the Eoman were adopted in
the early cycles, but not having sufficient authority to alter them,
we prefer leaving the list as it now stands : Thus in cycle 2 old
English capitals were probably used. (See page 68, No. 4.)

66

DUBLIN ASSAY OFFICE LETTEBS.
 ?-- —

The Dublin Marks are these Twenty-five Letters of the Alphabet, always omitting
the letter J, and using alternately Eoman Capitals and Eoman Small Letters.
The time appointed for the letter to be changed, and the new punches put in com
mission, is the 29th or 30th of May in every year ; but this date has not been strictly
adhered to, the changes having been made at various later periods in some years.

CYCLE 1.

CYCLE 2.

CYCLE 3.

" CYCLE 4.

CYCLE 5.

Roman Capitals.

ROMAI

r Small.

Roman Capitals.

ROMAI

r Small.

Roman Capitals.

A

1646-7

a

1671-2

A

1696-7

a

1721-2

A

1746-7

B

1647-8

b

1672-3

B

1697-8

b

1722-3

B

1747-8

C

1648-9

c

1673-4

C

1698-9

c

17,23-4

C

1748-9

D

1649-0

a

1674-5

D

1699-0

a

1724-5

D

1749-0

E

1650-1

e

1675-6

E

1700-1

e

1725-6

E

1750-1

F

1651-2

f

1676-7

F

1701-2

f

1726-7

F

1751-2

G

1652-3

g

1677-8

G

1702-3

g

1727-8

G

1752-3

H

1653-4

h

1678-9

H

1703-4

h

1728-9

H

1753-4

I

1654-5

i

1679-0

I

1704-5

i

1729-0

I

1754-5

K

1655-6

k

1680-1

K

1705-6

k

1730-1

K

1755-6

L

1656-7

1

1681-2

L

1706-7

1

1731-2

L

1756-7

M

1657-8

m

1682-3

M

1707-8

m

1732-3

M

1757-8

N

1658-9

n

1683-4

N

1708-9

n

1733-4

- N

1758-9*

0

1659-0

0

1684-5

O

1709-0

0

1734-5

O

1759-0

P

1660-1

P

1685-6

P

1710-1

P

1735-6

P

1760-1

Q

1661-2

q

1686-7

Q

1711-2

q

1736-7

Q

1761-2

B

1662-3

r

1687-8

B

1512-3

r

.1737-8

B

1762-3

S

1663-4

s

1688-9

S

1713-4

s

1738-9

S

1763-4

T

1664-5

t

1689-0

T

1714-5

t

1739-0

T

1764-5

U

1665-6

u

1690-1

U

1715-6

u

1740-1

U

1765-6

V

1666-7

V

1691-2

V

1716-7

V

1741-2

V

1766-7

W

1667-8.

W

1692-3

W

1717-8

W

1742-3

W

1767-8

X

1668-9

X

1693-4

X

1718-9

X

1743-4

X

1768-9

Y

1669-0

y

1694-5

Y

1719-0

y

1744-5

Y

1769-0

Z

1670-1

z

1695-6

Z

1720-1

z

1745-6

Z

1770-1

Three Stamps.

Thke

s Stamps.

Three Stamps.

Four

Stamps.

Fouii

Stamps.

1 . Harp crowned.
2. Date Letter.
3. Maker's Initials.

1. Har]
2. Dat(
3. Mak

i crowned.
Letter.
er's Initials.

1. Harp crowned.
2. Date Letter.
3. Maker's Initials.

1. Harp
2. Date
3. Make
4. Hiber

crowned.
Letter
r's Initials.
nia, in 1730.

1. Har
2. Dat
3. Mal
4. Hib

j crowned.
s Letter.
-er's Initials.
arnia.

DUBLIN ASSAY OFFICE LETTEBS.

67

CYCLE 6.

CYCLE 7.

CYCLE 8.

CYCLE 9.

Roman Small.

Roman Capitals.

Roman.

Roman Small.

a

1771-2

A

1796-7

a

1821-2

a

1846-7

b

1772-3

B

1797-8

b

1822-3

b

1847-8

c

1773-4

C

1798-9

c

1823-4

c

1848-9

a

1774-5

D

1799-0

a

1824-5

a

1849-0

e

1775-6

E

1800-1

eE

• 1825-6

e

1850-1

f

1776-7

F

1801-2

F

1826-7

f

1851-2

g

. 1777-8

G

1802-3

G

1827-8

g

1852-3

h

1778-9

H

1803-4

H

1828-9

h

1853-4

i

1779-0

I

1804-5

I

1829-0

i

1854-5

k

1780-1

K

1805-6

K

1830-1

k

1855-6

1

1781-2

L

1806-7

L

1831-2

1

1856-7

m

1782-3

M

1807-8

M

1832-3

m

1857-8

n

1783-4

N

1808-9

N

1833-4

n

1858-9

0

1784-5

0

1809-0

O

1834-5

0

1859-0

P

1785-6

P

1810-1

P

1835-6

P

1860-1

q

1786-7

Q

1811-2

Q

1836-7

q

1861-2

r

1787-8

B

1812-3

B

1837-8

r

1862-3

s

1788-9

S

1813-4

S

1838-9

s

1863-4

t

1789-0

T

1814-5

T

1839-0

t

1864-5

u

1790-1

U

1815-6

U

1840-1

u

1865-6

V

1791-2

V

1816-7

V

1841-2

V

1866-7

w

1792-3

w

1817-8

w

1842-3

w

1867-8

X

1793-4

X

1818-9

X

1843*4

X

1868-9

y

1794-5

Y

1819-0

Y

1844-5

y

1869-0

z

1795-6

Z

1820-1

Z

1845-6

z

1870-1

Form, Stamps.

Five Stamps.

Five

Stamps.

Five Stamps.

1. Harp crowned, Uni
corn, or Plume.
2. Date Letter.
3. Maker's Initials.
4. Hibernia.
Tlie three Standards di
rected to be used after
1784 are the Harp, Uni
corn, or Flume.

1. Harp crowned, Uni
corn, or Plume.
2. Maker's Mark.
3. Date Letter.
4. Hibernia.
5, The King's Head in
1807.

1. Harp corn
2. Make
3. Date
4. Hiber
5. King's
In Septe
letters cha
to large.

crowned, Uni-
, or Plume.
r's Mark.
jetter.
aia. Head.
mber, 1825, the
nged from small

1. Harp crowned, Uni
corn, or Plume.
2. Maker's Mark.
3. Date Letter.
4. Hibernia.
5. King's Head, or
Queen's.

i- 2

68

EXAMPLES OF ENGLISH & FOBEIGN HALL MABKS.

JtADCXIFF

UML

V

f

1. London. 1545. Silver Spoon with
a lion sejant on the stem. — Br. Ash
ford, Torquay.
2. London. 1654. Silver Spoon with
a knob on the stem, like the capital
of a column.
3. London. 1698. Britannia or new
standard. Pair of Silver Candle
sticks, plain baluster stems.
4. Dublin. 1680. Two Silver Tankards,
presented to the Guild of St. John. —
Merchant Taylors' Conpany.
5. Exeter? 1637. Silver Apostle Spoon,
— The Rev. T. Staniforth, Storrs,
Windermere.
6. England. Circal630. Silver Apostle
Spoon. — The Rev. T. Staniforth,
Storrs, Wmdermere.
7. England. Circa 1576. Cocoa-nut
Cup, carved, mounted in Silver. —
South Kensington Museum, No. 4893.
8. England. Circa 1680. A Silver Spoon
with flat stem and heart shaped end.
Rev.T.Staniforth,Storrs,Windermere.
9. Paris. Circa 1720. Pair of Silver
Boxes. (Loan Catalogue, 6413). —
Lord Bateman.
10. France. Circa 1784. Pair of silver
Powder Boxes, with the arms of the
Due de Rohan. — Felix Slade, Esq.
11. France. Circa 1 750. Gold enamelled
Snuff Box, temp. Louis XV. —
C. Goding, Esq.
12. France. Circa 1740. Silver Sugar
Pot and Cover, rococo scrolls, &c. —
South Kensington Museum, No. 4246.

69

PD MI

^

IG 5
LP E

SI (§1 IB

R B
R

6 :N

CE

* +L*V+

Is SS SI III

13. Augsburg. Circa 1650. Silver Ewer
and Salver. (Loan Catalogue, 6251).
— Buke of Manchester.
14. Nuremberg. Circal650. SilverStand-
ing Cup. (Loan Catalogue, 6197).-4-
Her Majesty the Queen.
15. Holland. Circa 1652. Silver Salver
with inscription. (Loan Catalogue,
6182). — Baron Lionel de Rothschild.
16. Haarlem. Circal700. Oviform Silver
Tea Canister. — South Kensington
Museum, No. 4558.
17. Amsterdam. 17th century. Oval
Silver Box and Cover, with large
repousse flowers.
18. Saxony. 17th century. Silver gilt
Cup, repousse historical subject.
19. Berne. 1690. Large Lion Cup, given
by Will. III. to the city of Berne. (Loan
Cat. 6363).— Baron M. de Rothschild.
20. Doccum. 1648. Silver Beaker, en
graved with costume figures, &c. —
South Kensington Museum, No. 3636.
21. Wurtemburg. Circa 1660. Silver
Beaker, with landscapes and figures.
(Loan Cat. 6S94<.)—J.B.Gardner,Esq.
22. Vienna. 16th century. Silver Salt
Cellar. (Bernal Coll.) — South Ken
sington Museum, No. 2111.
23. Utrecht. 17th century. Silver Beaker
with bells and Dutch inscription.
24. Matence. Circa, 1620. Silver Tan
kard, repousse classical subject.
(Loan Cat. 6324).—$. Waterton, Esq.
25. Rome. 1790. Silver Ewer of the
late Card. York, made by L. Valadini.
— Buke of Hamilton.
26. St. Petersburg. 1829. Silver Cup,
84 parts fine and 16 alloy. — W.
Chaffers, Esq.

70
FOBEIGN HALL MABKS.
 ?¦  .
The following imperfect list is here given merely as an attempt
to reduce to a system, the marks adopted by other countries in
marking their plate. No works have hitherto been pubhshed on
the subject, and therefore great allowance must be made for any
inaccuracy in the appropriation of localities. It is in fact a few
notes made by the author alone, on the inspection of pieces of
plate which have come under his immediate observation ; he will
therefore feel obliged for further information from those gentlemen
who have opportunities of assisting him.
The great centres of goldsmiths' work, Augsburg and Nurem
berg, where nearly all the finest' pieces of plate were produced in
the 16th and 17th centuries, do not appear to have dated their
works, as we seldom find more than two marks, viz. : that of the
city and that of the maker. Very few cities did so. Paris seems
to have used a date letter, and it is to be hoped somebody may
be induced to investigate the subject, and do as much for Paris
as has been done for London.
Amsterdam and other Towns in Holland probably had date
marks, as a letter is generally found in juxtaposition with the
town mark and that Of the maker. On many pieces of German
plate are stamped the figures 13 or 12; these numbers refer to
the quality of the silver according to Cologne weight, viz. 13 parts
of fine silver and 3 parts alloy, making up the 16 loths of which
the Cologne pound consisted. It is still adopted in the Northern
parts of Germany, but troy weight of 12 ounces in the pound is
mostly used.
In Russia the plate is usually stamped with 84, being the
number of parts pure silver in the hundred. (See page 69, No. 26.)
GERMANY.
Augsburg  A pine apple, the arms of the city. (See
page 69, No. 13).
Nuremberg  The capital Roman letter N. (See page 69,
No. 14.)
Prussia  Spread eagle (one neck).
Austria  Imperial eagle (two necks) .
Cologne  Three crowns in chief on a shield.
Mayence  A wheel with six spokes. (See page 69,
No. 24).

71
Vienna  A shield of arms with two bars. (See
page 69, No. 22).
Wurtemberg  Three stag's horns on a shield. (See page
69, No. 21).
Saxony  Two crossed swords; sometimes "13."
(See page 69, No. 18).
Cleves  Three lines forked ends, crossed.
Ratisbon  Two crossed keys.
Worms  A single key.
Bremen  A single key.
Hungary  A double cross crowned.
Hall  A crescent and star above.
Biberach  A wolf rampant.
Greuzenbach  A fish on a shield.
Koningsberg  A crowned head.
Westphalia  A horse galloping.
Coblentz  A fleur de lis.
Keyserberg  A saddle.
Biel  Two hatchets crossed.
Ravensburg  A castle with two towers.
Speyer & Prague  A castle with three towers.
Hamburg  A castle with three towers.
Antwerp  A citadel, from which issue two hands.
Unknown  A griffin sejant.
Unknown  F R in monogram ; a small n and an s on
each side.
Unknown  N A crowned and 92 beneath.
• Unknown  T F under an imperial crown, an eagle in
the centre.
Unknown  An anchor.
Unknown  Z on a shield.
Unknown  A double diamond with a C in each space.
Unknown  A spread eagle on a rock.
Unknown  A horse galloping and a triangle.
Unknown  An open hand crowned.*
Unknown  A shield with three squares, two and one.
Unknown  A sword and an arrow crossed.
Unknown  Two banners crossed.
HOLLAND AND BELGIUM.
Holland  A lion rampant, usually accompanied by
the mark of a town and goldsmith's
mark. (See page 69, No. 15).

72
Haarlem  A dagger, with 4 stars at the sides and a
cross at the point, sometimes crowned,
and occasionally the lion rampant is
added. (See page 69, No. 16).
Utrecht  A shield of arms of the town and lion
rampant. (See page 69, No. 23).
Hague  A Hon rampant for Holland, a stork holding
a horse-shoe in its beak, a letter crowned,
and a monogram.
Amsterdam  Three saltire crosses, one above the other
on a shield, crowned; recent stamps
have a letter at the side. (See page 69,
No. 17).
Maestricht ?  A star of six points.
Doccum  A crescent and three stars. (See page 69,
No. 20).
Flushing  A silver flagon or amphora crowned.
Orange (House of) ... A hunting horn on a shield.
Leyden  Two crossed keys.
Hainhault  Four lions on a shield, two and two.
Breda  ) Three saltire crosses, two above, another
Bergen op Zoom . . . / below, on a shield.
Brussels  St. Michael killing the dragon.
Dordrecht  1 . ,. -,-, , ,
Delft  j A shield, party per pale.
Unknown  The letter V on a shield crowned.
Unknown  A hunting horn on a shield.
Unknown  A rose under crown, and Hon rampant.
Unknown  A cock, a shield of arms and a small letter,
and the Hon rampant of Holland.
Unknown  Two Hons, one above the other, and a
crown, and the lion rampant.
VARIOUS,
St. Petersburg ...... One sceptre crossed by two anchors. (See
page 69, No. 26).
Moscow  St. George and the dragon.
Sweden  Three crowns, two over one.
Berne  A bear passant. (See page 69, No. 19).
Rome  Two crossed keys, (See page 69, No. 25).
Spain, Fuente d'onora. The pillars of Hercules crowned "'. Fuente"
and a peHcan " in her piety."
Burgundy (House of). A steel (fer a. feu) crossed by two clubs,
Schaefhausen  The fore-part of a goat.

FRANCE

In France a Bimilar system of stamping gold and silver wares
was adopted, as early as the thirteenth century, but the means of
ascertaining the date of manufacture is not so easily determined
as in England.
In the Livre des Mitiers, for the regulation of trades in France,
made by Etienne Boileau, Provost of Paris in the year 1260, we
find the rules by which the goldsmiths were regulated, and
masters were appointed to see them carried into effect. This was
probably the first institution of the Goldsmiths' Company in
Paris, in which we meet with the fallowing clauses, in the old
language of the time of Saint Louis : —
" Nus orfevres ne puet ouvrer d'or a Paris qu'il' ne soit a la
touche de Paris ou mieudres, laquele touche passe tous les ors de
quoi on oeuvre en nule terre." Again, "Nus orfevres ne puet
ouvrer a Paris d'argent que il ne soit ausi bons come estelins ou
mieudres." No goldsmith may work gold in Paris which is not of the Paris
touch or better, which touch or standard surpasses all the gold
which is worked in any other country.
No goldsmith may work at Paris any silver which is not as
good as sterHng (of England) or better.
In an ordinance of Philippe le Hardi, a.d. 1275, the argentarii
were compelled to stamp their works with the seign of the town
in which their forge was situated, on pain of confiscation of the
goods ; and in 1313 gold was ordered to be« stamped with the
punch of the Goldsmiths' Company of Paris, which was kept by
the prudhommes of the Company. It was also ordained that each
city should have a particular mark for works in silver.
This was the origin of the Hall mark in France, each town
having a different device and a letter, changing every year at the
election of the new masters.
The marks for goldsmiths' work made at Paris was anciently of
two sorts, the maker's mark, and the assay mark of the maison

74
commune, or common haU. The first was the signature of the
goldsmith, who usuaUy adopted some emblem, as a star, cross,
rose, &c, surmounted by afleur de lis.
We are further informed by Pierre le Roy, Statuts et Privileges
du Corps des Marchands Orfevres de Paris, collected from ancient
documents relative to the government of the goldsmiths' trade,
that a common stamp was ordered to be kept at the common hall
of the goldsmiths' community called the Contremarque, or the
punch of Paris (povncon de Paris), the safe keeping of which was
entrusted to the wardens in charge ; and all plate of gold or silver
made in Paris was to be taken to them, and assayed and marked
with it.
The number of goldsmiths of Paris was limited to 300.
, Those who had regularly served their apprenticeship and aspired
tp become masters, were strictly examined by the wardens of the
company as to the weights and proportions of the mark, the price
of gold and silver, the manner of aUoying the precious metals, and
all matters relating thereto. The wardens were also required
diligently to enquire as to the morals and general conduct of the
aspirant,* who was moreover to execute a chef d'oeuvre, and submit
it for their approval. He was then presented to the Mint, and
again examined. If considered duly quaHfied, he entered into a
bond for a thousand Hvres (tournois), and received a punch, with
which he was to stamp aU his works. This punch was ordered to
be a fleur de Ms, crowned with a device or; initial letters of his
name. An impression of this was made upon two tablets of brass,
one for -the Mint, and the other for, the maison commune.
When a goldsmith had completed a piece of plate, he first
placed his own stamp upon it, and then took it to the maison
commune to be assayed, and countermarked with the common
stamp of the Company. The assay was ordered to take place in
the Company's offices — that is to say, those of gold by aqua fortis
(eau forte), those of silver (a la coupelle) by the cupel, or crucible,
and not otherwise.
The titre or standard was, for gold 22 carats fine, and silver
11 deniers 12 grains; small gold wares, such as crosses, buckles
buttons, snuff-boxes, and jewels, were to be of 20 carats fine. The
denier, in computing the standard of silver, was an imaginary
weight, like the carat in gold, the pound was divided into twelve
parts, and the carat subdivided into 24 grains.

75
In 1493 the fleur- de Us was accompanied by two dots or pellets,
a sort of emblem to remind the goldsmith that the law only
allowed him 2 grains of alloy. In 1506 the goldsmiths added to
the mark of the fleur de Us and two peUejts the initial letters of
their christian and surnames. The size of.the stamp, left, at first
to the discretion of the goldsmith, was fixed by Louis XIV. in
1679, to two Hues high, by one and a quarter broad. This mark
existed up to 1790.
The second, or assay mark, was impressed by the Corporation,
and proved that the article had been assayed, and found to be as
good as the Paris standard. This stamp can be traced back as far
as 1275, as before noticed. <The puncheon was at Paris a letter of
the alphabet crowned, changing every year with the new masters,
or gardes du me'tier, in alphabetical order. We are informed by
Pierre de Rosnel, in the third part of his Mercure Indien, that the
letter for the year 1472 was M ; but as several irregularities occur
from incidental circumstances, the exact order cannot be ascer
tained without consulting the minutes of the Mint, where aU the
marks were registered on a plate of brass by the identical punches.
The variable mark continued in use until 1783, U being the letter
for that year, when Louis XVI. assigned to each community of
goldsmiths in France an invariable mark, that of Paris being the
letter P crowned. From- 1789 we find no stamp until 1797: after
two ineffectual attempts under Henry III. and. Louis XIII., the
duty knowri. by, the. name of "droit.de controle" was definitely
settled by Louis XIV. in. 1672. The Mint letter of the town
surmounted by a fleur.de Us, then attested thepayment of the duty.
In 1681, the Fermiers du Controle obtamed. permission of the
King that every work commenced should be impressed with a
stamp caUed the charge, showing that the goldsmith was indebted
or answerable to them for the payment of this duty. After the
piece was finished and the duty paid, a stamp was impressed
called the discharge, attesting the payment.
Goldsmiths' work, therefore; after 1681, ought to have four
stamps —
1. The stamp of the goldsmith.
2. The stamp of the maison commune.
3. The stamp of the charge or duty payable.
4. The stamp of the discharge or duty paid.
Old pieces of plate, being then as now answerable for this
duty, we find upon them a mark showing the payment of duty

76
discharged, and this is obHged to be placed upon them whenever
sold as second-hand plate, by auction or otherwise.
For Paris the stamp of the charge of the Fermiers has nearly
always been an A, the mint letter of this city, accompanied by
some change of fashion, when the farming of the duty changed
hands. . The stamp of the discharge represented generally the
head of a man, or some animal, changing like the other.
There were various sized stamps for large or small works.
In the Wardrobe Accounts of Edw. I. we have a very early
record of this Hall-mark in the year 1300. (Lib. Gard. Soc.
Ant. 352). "Item viij. cocleares argenti signata in coUo signo
Parisius sciHcet, de quandam fiore gtegelli " — which may be thus
rendered — Item, eight silver spoons, marked on the neck or stem
with the Paris mark, that is, say a certain fleur de Us.
In the Inventory of the Dukes of Burgundy, 1423, " Pour un
pou avoir amende x marcs ij. ounces xv. esterlins dudit or,
estant a xix. karas, pour faire aultre vaisselle et l'avour fait venir
a xix. karas et un quint, qui est or de touche et au dessoubz
n'oseroit on ouvrer."
Again, in the will of Thomas Rotherham, Archbishop of York,
a.d. 1498, are the foUowing allusions to the touches or HaU marks
of Paris, London, and Bruges : — " Item volo quod Thomas Sente-
georg habeat sex taceas sive Bollezbasse Stantes (standing low
bowls), in fundo tacearum sunt flores tres sunt Paris towch, et
ponderant de Troy LXXI unc'; alias tres sunt London towch, et
ponderant cum coopertor, C unc' de Troy.
"Volo etiam quod habeat duas ollas argent' wynding chaced,
quarum una et Brugg's towch, altera London est ponderant et
Troy XI. unc." (Lib. Nig. Scacc. Vol. II. p. 676.)
By an ordinance of Louis XII., given at Blois in 1506, after
confirming ancient privileges, it enjoins goldsmiths to have their
works countermarked by the sworn masters or wardens of the
maison commune, who had the contre-poincon in their keeping.
It goes on to say that this contre-poincon was to be changed
every year, registered at the Mint, and stamped upon a table of
brass, with the name of the wardens. It also definitively assigns
one particular spot for goldsmiths to reside, namely, opposite the
money changers, mercers, jewellers, and others who had any
trade in the precious metals. This spot was for several centuries
the Pont au Change, or Grand Pont.

77

AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE
OF THE
COMMUNITIES OF GOLDSMITHS IN THE SEVEEAL TOWNS OF FRANCE,
EXISTING PREVIOUS TO 1786,
WITH THE DATES OF THEIR FOUNDATION, AND THE EMBLEMS ADOPTED BY THEM
FOR STAMPING GOLDSMITHS' WORK.

(From ' L'Histoire de l'Orfevrerie,' par Paul Lacroix et Ferdinand Ser& Paris, 1850).

AbbevilleAgenAix . .
Alais .
Alengon
Amiens
AngersAngouleme Apt . .
Aries .
Arras .
Avalon
Avesnes Aurillac
Autun .
AuxerreBailleul

Bar le Dnc
Bar sur Aube,
BayonneBeaucaire .
Beaune
Beanvais .
Bergues St.Vinox
Besancon .
Beziers . .
Blois . .
Bordeaux . . .
Boulogne, \
Montreuil j
Bourg en Bresee .

Bourges . .
Brest . . .
Lesneven
. Landerneau
Caen . . .
Cahors . . .
Calais . . .
Cambrai
CarcassonneCastelnaudary Limoux

}
if

1508. A bee.
1775. The hands of a
watch.
A wheatsheaf.
1775 A bird's wing.
1718. A spider or
scorpion.
1727. A cross bow.
A battledore.
1719. A calf's head.
A pair of scales.
The head of a crozier.
15 — . A chair.
1743. A cow's head.
1773. A spade.
A jack boot.
1784. A buckle.
1731. A candlestick.
1731. A pocket com
pass.
A fish and a flower.
1763. A loop.
1512. A bird cage.
1776. A cafetiere.
1742. A wine glass.
1609. A fish.
1759. A seal.
1688. A corkscrew.
1598. A trumpet.
1567. A vase with
two handles.
12 — . An unicorn.^
1744. A sailor's hat.
1747. A chain and
tassel.
1557. A ram's head.

1695. A ship.
1594. Aploughshare.
1777. A dog seated.
1748. A spur.
1315. Ahorse's head.
1676. A ciborium.

Castres ....
Chalons surSaone
Chalons sur Mam e
Chartres . . .
Chateau Gonthier
Chateau Thierry.
Chattellerault.ChattillonChaumont
ClermontCognac Colma .
CompiegneCoutancesDaligreDieppeDijon .
Dinan .
Dole .
Douai .

DraguignanDunkerqueEtampes
Falaise .
Fe'campFontenayGienGisors .
Grasse .
Grenoble Guise .
Vervins
Havre .
JoinvilleIssoire .
IssodounLa Charity
Lafere . .
Landrecy .

1749. A bell.
1682. A door key.
1749. A watch key.
15—. A dove flying.
1757. Compasses.
A cock.
1758. A penknife.
. 15 — . A castle.
. 1744. A half moon.
. 15 — . A tree.
. 1762. A bolt.
. A glove.
. 1667. A stag's head.
. 1751. An inkstand.
. 1758. A porringer.
. 1599. A fish..
. 15 — . A globe on a
stand.
. 1746. An anchor.
. A funnel.
. Two cross branches,
and a square sur
mounted by a
crown.
. 1751. An ear of barley
1753. Aruggedbranch
. A lobster.
. 1750. A lancet.
. 1745. A stirrup.
. 1574. A flambeau.
. 1757. An arrow.
. 1754. A branch of
yew.
. A four-pronged fork.
*: A dolphin.
• 1745. The head of a
" staff.
. 15 — . A lance and
flag.
. 1759. A weathercock.
. 1766. An acorn.
. 1757. A cup.
. 1757. A holy water
sprinkler.
. A pink.
. 1779. A pointed in
strument.

78

Langheac

. . 1784. A rule.

Pons enSaintonge

1785. A bee hive.

Langres

. . 1566. A clasp knife.

Pontoise . . .

1752. A pink.

Laon .

. An artichoke.

Provins . . .

1759. Arose.

La Rochelle . . 1698. A griffin.

Puy en Velay .

1367. A pulley.

Laval .

. . A frog.

Quimper . . .

1780. A saw.

Le Vigan

. . 1775. A gridiron.

Reims . . . .

1560. Bunch of grapes

Liesse (N.

D. de) 1749. A hatchet.

Rennes . . .

1579. An ape.

Lille .

. . A bird flying.

Re"thel . . . .

1660. A quiver.

Limoges

. 1719. A porter's bas

Riez . . . .

A pot with handle.

ket.

Riom . . . .

A cross.

Lisieux

. . 1750. A cornucopia.

Rochefort . . .

1713. A rock.

Longwy

. . A label of 3 points.

Rodez . . . .

1777. A vase.

Lons le Saulnier . 1780. A lamp.

Rouen . . . .

13 — . A cluster of

Lorient

. . 1745. A fortification.

apples.

Loudun

. 1646. A lantern.

Sables . . . .

1680. A sheep.

Lunel .

. . 1775. A fir cone.

Saintes . . . .

1758. A clasp.

Lucon .

. . 1758. A shuttle.

St.Esprit,Bagnols

1777. A magpie.

Lyon .

. . A lion's head.

Saint Flour . .

1785. A squirrel.

Macon .
Manosque

. . 1600. An open hand.
. . A closed book.

St. Germain en)
Laye . . j

A wreath

Mans (Le)

. . 1757. A flower.

St. Jean d'Angely

1779. A tooth.

Mantes

. . A diamond.

Saint L6 . .

A club.

Marennes

. . 1777. An oyster.

Saint Malo . .

1680. A hammer.

Marseille

. . 12 — .Abow of ribbon.

Saint Maixent .

A fly.

Maubeuge

. . An eye.

Saint Martin . .

1785. Snuffers.

Meaux .

. . A cat lying down.

St. Menehould .

1742. Watering pot.

MeUe .

. . An ear.

St. Omer . . .

A dog.

Melun .
Mende .

. . 1727. An eel.
. . 1767. A butterfly.

Saint Quentin )
Peronne . j

1748. Sword handle.

Mezier&s .

. . 1746. A cannon.

Salins . . . .

1640. A boar.

Metz .

. . 1635. A peacock.

Saumur . . .

1749. An ewer.

Milhau

. . 1770. A tulip.

Sedan . . . .

1575. Medusa's head.

Montargis

. . 1737. A comb.

Semur en Auxois.

1701. Caduceus.

Montauban

. . 1705. A steelyard.

Senlis . . . .

A bean.

Montpellie

' . . A syphon or chemical

1745. A helm and

vessel.
feathers.
Morlaix
. . 1607. Asquarepillar.
Soissons . . .
1734. A helmet:
Moulins
. . 1736. The sails of a
Strasbourg . .
A pear.
windmill.
Taroscon . . .
Scissors.
Nantes .
. . 1759. A spear.
Thouars . . .
1714. Head of Mer
Narbonne
. . 1669. Atobaccopipe.
cury.
Nevers .
. . 1757. A bottle.
Toul 
1643. Negro's head.
Nimes .
. . 1586. A porcupine.
Toulon. . . .
1712. A Roman
Niort .
. . . 15 — . A pipkin.
chariot.
Noyon .
. . 1748. A shallow pan.
Toulouse . . .
1500. A trowel.
Orleans
. . . 1611. Bust of Joan of
Tours . . . .
1529. A parrot.
Arc.
Trevoux . . .
1783. A vine leaf.
Paris .
. 1260. The letter P.
Troyes . . . .
1369. A short staff.
crowned.
Valenciennes . .
1625. A marigold.
Parthenay
. . 1745. A flat fish.
Valognes . . .
1750., Ahead.
Pau. .
Vannes . . .
1745. .An open pod.
Payrat .
St.Colon
¦ ¦ 1
Verdun . . .
1630. Fleur delis.
ibe > 1753. A pear.
Versailles . . .
1768. Bear's head.
Chalebn
- J
Vesoul . . . .
1775. A cockade.
Perigueux
. . . A snail.
Vitry le Francais
1614. A head of a
Perpignan
. . A rat.
man with cocked
Pezgnas
. . . 1586. A rake.
hat.
Poitiers
. . . A Turk's turban.
Uzes . . . .
1776. A bird.
THE
END.
J. Datt & Sons, Printers, 137, Long Acre, London.
By the same Author, Second Edition, considerably enlarged,
price 21s.
arfes anfr Sonograms on ||oitern ana |goraIam,
WITH HISTORICAL NOTICES OF EACH MANUFACTORY,
AN INTEODUCTOET ESSAY ON THE VASA FICTILIA OP ENGLAND;
AND A COPIOUS INDEX,

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