They are punched mark(s) on an article of silver to identify the town or assay office and the silversmith
who made the item or assayed it, Hallmarks on silver have been used in Great Britain since the reign of
Edward I (1272-1307) and in some countries on the Continent since the 14th century.
In the United States, where there is no governement assaying, there are now no official hallmarks.
This is a page of 'The What is? Silver Dictionary' of A Small Collection of
Antique Silver and Objects of vertu,
a 1000 pages richly illustrated website offering all you need to know about
antique silver, sterling silver, silverplate, sheffield plate, electroplate silver,
silverware, flatware, tea services and tea complements, marks and hallmarks, articles,
books, auction catalogs, famous silversmiths (Tiffany, Gorham, Jensen, Elkington),
history, oddities ...
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