Hall marks on gold & silver plate

84
HALL MARKS ON PLATE.
who exercise the said art or mystery of goldsmith in or about the
cities of London and Westminster and the suburbs of the same, that
they forthwith repair to Goldsmiths' <strong>Hall</strong> and there strike their
<strong>marks</strong>, first approved by the Wardens in Court, in a table appointed
for that purpose, and likewise enter their names with the places
of their respective dwellings in a book remaining in the Assay Office
there* And that as well the worker as shopkeeper, and all cutlers
and girdlers and all others working or trading in gold or silver
wares of what kind soever or quality they be, forbear putting to
sale any of the said works, not being agreeable to standard, that is
to say, gold not less in fineness than 22 carats, and silver not less
in fineness than 1 1 oz. 2 dwts. ; and that no person or persons do
from henceforth put to sale any of the said wares, either small or
great, before the workman's mark be struck clear and visible thereon,
and upon every part thereof, that is wrought asunder, and afterwards
soldered or made fast thereto, in finishing the same, unless it
be such sort of work adjudged by the wardens, that it will not con-
veniently bear the worker's mark. And that all manner of silver
vessels, and all manner of silver hilts for swords, and all manner
of silver buckles for belts and girdles, and other harness of silver,
be assayed at Goldsmiths' <strong>Hall</strong>, and there approved for standard,
by striking thereon the lion and leopard's head crowned, or one of
them, before they be exposed to sale. And hereof all persons concerned
are required to take notice, and demean themselves accord-
ingly; otherwise the wardens resolve to make it their care to procure
them to be proceeded against according to law. And will reward
every person for their pains in discovering before them (in court)
the matter of fact of any transgressor (in the premises) upon the
conviction of the offender.
A.D. 1696. 7 & 8 William HI, c. 19. It was enacted by this
Statute, that no person keeping an inn, tavern, or alehouse, or selling
liquors, should publicly use or expose in his house any wrought or
manufactured plate (except spoons), under the penalty of forfeiting
the same or the full value thereof.
It was also enacted that after March 31, 1696, no person should
ship any molten silver or bullion either in bars, ingots, or any other
forms, unless a certificate on oath had been obtained that the same
molten silver or bullion was not coin of the Realm, nor plate wrought
within the Kingdom.
Heavy penalties are laid down in the Act for any breach of
these regulations, t Repealed.
The table here alluded to was a copper plate of nine columns, which :s
still preserved at the <strong>Hall</strong>. It contains punches of the makers' <strong>marks</strong> from
the date of this order, 1675, up to the passing of the Act altering the standard
in 1697 but the ; book in which their names and places
of abode were entered
is unfortunately lost. A copy of the first five columns of this plate is printed
in this volume ; the remaining <strong>marks</strong> are of the second size I'^or small pieces
of plate.
t "The Statutes at Large," Vol. Ill, page 605.