What is the hallmark for Irish silver?
What is the hallmark for Irish silver?
The first hallmark to identify is the harp crowned, seen below. This tells you that the piece assayed in Dublin, and has been struck on all Irish silver since 1637. The second mark to look for is Hibernia, which is a duty mark, introduced in 1730. This mark is still in use today, and should always be present.
What do the symbols mean on silver?
Silver hallmarks are made up from four main elements. The date letter, the town mark, the maker’s or sponsor’s mark and the lion passant. In the 18th century duty was payable on silver and a duty mark was added which ran from 1784-1890.
Is Irish silver valuable?
Old Irish silver is rare, highly sought after and valuable, as items available in the current Irish Antique Dealers Fair at the… Old Irish silver is rare, highly sought after and valuable, as items available in the current Irish Antique Dealers Fair at the RDS in Dublin demonstrate.
What is the Hibernia mark?
Hibernia Hallmark. Hibernia mark may be considered as a special mark of the Dublin Assay Office. It was only used on Irish manufactured articles up to 2002 while the boujet was used on imported articles. Since 2002 it is used on all articles assayed and hallmarked at the Assay Office irrespective of their origin.
What are the symbols for real silver?
Common Silver Alloys and Their Markings This silver qualifies as sterling, but it is slightly softer than sterling pieces marked 925 or simply sterling. Sterling silver (925): This is the standard for silver, identifying a silver item that is at least 92.5% silver mixed with copper to give it strength.
How do you read Silver Plate marks?
The maker or company name is usually stamped on the back of the piece along with an indication that it’s plated: In America, for instance, these marks are A1, AA, EP, or the full phrases “sterling inlaid”, or “silver soldered.” According to industry standards, AA has one-third as much silver used in plating as does A1 …
What are the 5 standard silver marks?
There are 5 standard marks found on British Silver:
- The walking lion for all sterling silver made in England.
- The standing lion for all sterling silver made in Glasgow.
- The thistle for for all sterling silver made in Edinburgh.
- The crowned harp for all sterling silver made in Dublin.
How can you tell if something is solid silver or silver-plated?
Check the colouring of the item carefully; genuine silver is generally less shiny and colder in tone than silverplate. If you see places where the silver appears to be flaking off or turning green, the item is silver plated.
How do you read silver plate marks?