• Hallmarks,
Housemarks, and Maker's Marks •
• Hallmarks,
Housemarks, and Maker's Marks •
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Novices and professionals alike confuse these types of marks. I most commonly hear the word "hallmark" when describing a housemark or maker's mark. If you have any questions after reading their definitions, please contact me. Hallmark: A mark or series of marks stamped or laser-engraved by a country's assay office indicating the quality of the precious metal tested (e.g., "Sterling," ".925," ".840," ".800," or an image of a rampant lion—indicating sterling as used in Great Britain). The object may also contain the country, maker's mark, housemark, duty mark, import mark, etc.
• More
information on hallmarks can be found here. Below are actual hallmarks on an English object with the following stamps:
• Assay
Office: crowned leopard's head (London)
Housemark: A mark stamped or laser-engraved by the company (e.g., "Gorham," "Reed & Barton," "Tiffany," "Kalo") that created the object for its own line or for a retailer (e.g., "Shreve, Crump & Low," "J.E. Caldwell Co."). In addition, there may also be a maker's mark, indicating the company's craftsman who created or oversaw the creation of the object. The below example identifies the object's maker as Gorham Manufacturing Company from Providence, RI; the metal quality (sterling); and the object's design number (A2150).
Maker's Mark: The name or artistic mark stamped, engraved, or laser-engraved on an object created by an individual silversmith or jeweler. The below mark is mine. This particular piece was raised from a flat sheet which is why there is a center mark between my name and sterling.
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