Hall marks on gold & silver plate

90
HALL MARKS ON PLATE.
Sect. 4. This provides that the Goldsmiths, Silversmiths, and
plate workers freemen of and inhabiting the Town of Newcastle,
should be incorporated by the name of The Company of the Town
of Newcastle upon Tyne, and were authorised to choose annually
two persons as Wardens of the Company.
Sect. 5. All silver plate to be marked with the Arms of the
said Town and the other <strong>marks</strong> mentioned m the previous Act ; and
that an Assay Master should be chosen, who should take the oath
before specified. And further that the Orders, Rules, pains and
penalties should be observed and enforced as before mentioned.*
OLD STANDARD SILVER OF 1 1 OZ. 2 DWTS. REVIVED
DUTY OF 6d. per OZ. IMPOSED.
A.D. 1 7 19. Stat. 6 George I, c. ii, Sect. i. Recites, that it is
found by experience that the manufactures of silver which were
made according to the old standard are more serviceable and durable
than those which have been made according to the new standard;
and therefore enacts, that the said old standard of silver plate, made
after June i, 1720, shall be restored, revived, and take place instead
of the said new standard.
Sect. 2. Enacts, that after the said June i, 1790, no goldsmith,
silversmith or plateworker, shall be obliged to make silver plate according
to the said new standard.
Sect. 3. Enacts, that no person shall make any silver plate
less in fineness than 1 1 ounces 2 pennyweights per pound troy, or
put to sale, exchange, or sell any silver plate (unless wire, or
things by smallness not capable of a mark) until touched, assayed,
and marked in manner prescribed by the laws, for marking the new
standard of 1 1 ounces 10 pennyweights fine in case the same standard
had continued; and that all former laws for preserving the
said new standard shall be put in execution for preserving the old
standard.
Sect. 4. Grants to his Majesty a duty of sixpence per ounce on
all silver plate imported into and made in Great Britain, to be paid
by the importer and makers respectively ;
of it.
provide for the levying
and subsequent sections
Sect. 41. Recites, that it may be requisite, for encouraging the
several manufactures of wrought plate, to continue both the new
and the old standards, for the better accommodating all buyers
of plate, and the workers and dealers therein : and therefore enacts,
that all wrought plate shall not be made less in fineness than
II ounces 10 pennyweights, or ii ounces 2 pennyweights; which
two different standards of wrought plate shall be severally marked
with distinguishing <strong>marks</strong>, viz., plate of ii ounces 10 pennyweights,
with the workman's mark, the warden's mark, the lion's head erased,
and the Britannia ; and plate of 1 1 ounces 2 pennyweights, with the
* " The Statutes at Large," Vol. IV, page 91.