Description: CROWN" MARK ON STERLING SILVER AND SILVER PLATE,This is a set of four silver plate coffee and tea set.From the very beginning the platers tried to make their wares resemble silver as closely as possible. It did no harm if the marks on them also looked rather like those on silver. Since the early times Old Sheffield Plate presents initials and symbols in the same style and on the same places as did the silversmiths, sometimes repeating these devices to simulate the stamp of the assay office, the lion and the maker's mark. When in 1773 the silversmiths of Sheffield and Birmingham obtained to establish assay offices for silver work in both towns, the "crown" symbol was chosen to identify Sheffield Assay Office (the "anchor" was chosen for Birmingham). One of the objective of the established Assay Office in Sheffield was to obtain some degree of control over the platers as the Parliament Act carried a clause prohibiting the striking of any letter, or letters, on goods "Made of metal, plated or covered with silver, or upon any metal vessel or other thing made to look like silver: the penalty being a fine of £ 100". The prohibition, more or less respected by Old Sheffield Plate makers of early 19th century, was largely ignored by electroplated silver makers of the Victorian Age (1837-1901). The use of pseudo hallmarks was a common practice and most of UK electroplaters adopted trade marks consisting in their initials coupled to '&', 'S' (for Sons or Sheffield), 'EP' (for Electro Plate) and a profusion of symbols inside outlines of various shape (circles, shields, squares), obtaining a result very similar to that present in sterling silver wares. One of the preferred symbols was the "crown", used by Sheffield Assay Office on sterling silver wares. There can be very little doubt that Sheffield electroplaters wanted their plate-mark to look very similar to a Sheffield Assay mark. A practice in which they were certainly not alone as also Birmingham electroplaters took advantage of this practice. Of 17 Sheffield platers using a crown in one form or another, no less than 13 had registered a silver mark at the Sheffield Assay Office. Platers in Birmingham must have thought the crown carried a marketing message too. Of the 15 platers having a crown as part of their plate mark only one had not found it necessary to register a silver mark at an assay office. The use of the "crown" on silver plate wares was tolerated for about 50 years, until, in c. 1895, a new intervention of the authorities reaffirmed the prohibition of the use of the crown in silver plate as it was seen as an imitation of the Sheffield silver mark. As a result of this intervention many electroplaters changed their marks deleting the crown symbol.Measurements:Coffee pot 9" H x 9" W. Weight 2.225 lb.Tea pot 7" H x 9" W. Weight 1.720 lb.Sugar bowl 4" H x 6" W. Weight 0.970 lb.Creamer 5" H x 4.25" W. Weight 0.650 lb. Total Weight: 5.560 lb.
Price: 285 USD
Location: Carmichael, California
End Time: 2025-01-28T02:23:49.000Z
Shipping Cost: 0 USD
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Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Brand: Sheffield
Composition: Silverplate
Style: Victorian
Age: 1850-1899
