A hallmark is a group of small symbols, not a single logo. Read the complete group before trying to date or attribute an antique silver object.
1. Find the complete mark
Look on the underside, rim, handle, lid or another protected area. Photograph the marks straight on in sharp light. Do not polish them aggressively: worn details can be essential.
2. Identify the sponsor or maker's mark
This is usually a set of initials inside a shaped punch. It identifies the person or business that submitted the item for assay.
3. Read the fineness mark
The fineness mark indicates the precious-metal standard. Its meaning depends on the country and period, so interpret it with the rest of the hallmark.
4. Identify the assay office
The office symbol directs you to the correct city chart. London uses the leopard's head, Birmingham the anchor, while Sheffield historically used a crown and later the rose.
5. Compare the date letter
Match the letter, uppercase or lowercase form, and surrounding shield. Similar letters recur in different cycles. Before 1975, British offices used their own cycles; date marking became optional in 1999.
6. Cross-check the result
Confirm that the office, date, metal standard, style and probable maker make sense together. Repairs and replacement parts can carry marks from a different period.
Choose a date-letter chart
Chester · Birmingham · Dublin · London · Sheffield