Hall marks on gold & silver plate

354
HALL MARKS ON PLATE.
DUTY IMPOSED AND MARK OF HIBERNIA.
A.D. 1730. The figure of HiBERNIA was used by order of the
Commissioners of Excise in the year 1730, when a duty was first
imposed, to denote the payment of the same, viz., sixpence per ounce
on manufactures of gold and silver plate, which has been used ever
since on every standard of Irish plate.
REDUCED STANDARDS OF GOLD. NEW GENEVA.
A.D. 1783-4. 23 & 24 George III, c. 23. In this year a Company
of Geneva Watchmakers came to Ireland, and commenced
an establishment near Waterford, and the place or locality of this
establishment was called New GENEVA. An Assay Office and a
Deputy Assay Master or Assayer were granted to them at that place.
This Act came into operation on June i, 1784, and repeals so much
of the 3rd of Geo. II as respects the assaying of gold, or regulating
the manufacture, assaying, or exchange or sale of gold, or the duty
on any manufacture of gold in Ireland. The watch manufactory
at New Geneva was discontinued about 1790, having only lasted six
years.
The only standard of gold allowed by the Act 3rd George TI
was that of 22 karats fine ; this was altered by the above Act, whereby
three standards are provided of 22, 20 and 18 karats fine respectively.
These standards were authorised to facilitate and encourage
the manufacture of gold and silver wares and watch-cases, etc., in
Ireland, and especially at New Geneva.
This establishment and Assay Office did not continue to work
over five or six years, and with this exception the Assay Office in
Dublin has been and is the only one in Ireland, and has power and
jurisdiction in all parts of Ireland.
By the i ith section of this Act it is enacted, " That on and after
the 1st June, 1784, every person making, or causing to be made, any
manufactures of gold, are to enter an impression of his or her new
<strong>marks</strong> or punches made as aforesaid, with his or her name and place
of abode, in either of the said Assay Offices, upon paying the sum
of five shillings to the Assayer or Wardens, who are hereby required
to make, on a plate of pewter or copper, impressions of such <strong>marks</strong>
or punches; and also entries of such <strong>marks</strong> or punches, with the
names and places of abode of the owners thereof, in a book or books
to be carefully kept for that purpose, if such owners be resident in
Dublin or at New Geneva. And that no person or persons shall be
entitled to have any manufactures of gold made, or caused to be
made by him or her, assayed or stamped at either of the said Assay
Offices, until after same have been stamped by the maker, and until
after such impression and entry have been made at such office of
the mark or punch of said person or persons, which denotes the particular
standard of such manufactures of gold; and that no manufacture
of gold shall be assayed or stamped at the said Assay
Offices, if marked with any other mark or punch but such as is duly