The Journal
Notes on silver & its marks
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Scandinavian silver hallmarks: Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian marks
Scandinavian silver hallmarks are read by country: Denmark’s three towers, Sweden’s three crowns and cat’s foot, Norway’s 830S maker marks.
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Towle sterling silver patterns: an identification guide
Towle sterling silver patterns are identified by the maker’s lion mark, the word STERLING, and a stamped pattern name like Old Master or King Richard.
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How to value old silver with an app in under a minute
The fastest way to value old silver is to scan its hallmark with an identification app. In under a minute it returns the maker, era, and an estimated…
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Silver purity marks worldwide: from 800 to 999 explained
Silver purity marks from 800 to 999 show how much pure silver a piece contains, expressed in parts per thousand. 800 is 80% pure; 999 is fine silver.
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Crowned letters on silver: what they signify and how to read them
A crowned letter on silver is usually a date letter or a town assay mark, not a purity sign. The country of origin decides what it means.
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AI vs. human appraiser: who reads silver hallmarks better?
The better hallmark reader depends on the piece. AI apps win on speed and common marks. Human appraisers win on worn, rare, and high-value silver.
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Why some antique silver has no date letter (and how to date it)
Antique silver often has no date letter because date letters are a British-only convention. American and most European silver never used the system.
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How to identify antique silver with no hallmarks
You can identify antique silver with no hallmarks by weight, sound, tarnish, and construction. A missing stamp does not mean the metal is base.
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Antique silver candlesticks: identification and value
Antique silver candlesticks are identified by hallmarks on the foot rim and valued by maker, weight, and cast-versus-loaded construction.
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The fastest way to identify silver makers’ marks on your phone
The fastest way to identify silver makers’ marks on your phone is to photograph the mark in raking light and match it in an antique identifier app in…
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Chinese export silver marks: identification and pitfalls
Chinese Export Silver marks imitate British hallmarks but follow no assay law. Look for pseudo-marks, maker initials, and a retailer’s stamp to identify them.
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Reed & Barton silver marks: a complete dating guide
Reed & Barton silver is dated by its mark: STERLING signals post-1889 solid silver, a stamped date symbol gives the year, and numbers mean silverplate.