Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2018 | Page 76

Hose Rhodes Dickson Auction Rooms
COMBINED LOCATION
FOR HRD AUCTIONS
ASK THE EXPERTS:
HALLMARKS
The hallmarking of precious
metals represents Britain’s
oldest form of consumer
protection.
It was Edward I who fi rst
passed a statute requiring all
silver to be of sterling standard
– a purity of 925 parts per
thousand – ushering in a
testing or assay system that
has survived for over 700 years.
From January 2018
we are getting
under one roof
so we can offer a
comprehensive and
effi cient service to
both our sellers and
buyers. All future
sales will be held at
the Brading Rooms
in Quay Lane.
Managing Director, Warren Riches, says he is excited at
the prospect of being able to deliver a professional and
effi cient service whilst embracing the latest technology
in a modern building. He says planning to extend the
Brading rooms has been granted so watch this space!
For 2018 sale dates, valuation dates and any news go
to: www.hrdauctionrooms.co.uk
The statute made it the responsibility of the Wardens of the
Goldsmiths’ Guild to mark all items of sterling standard with a
leopard’s head stamp.
The fi rst hallmarking was confi ned to Goldsmiths’ Hall in
London, but in time other assay offi ces were opened. Today
there are still offi ces in Edinburgh, where hallmarking has
been regulated since the 15th century, and in Birmingham and
Sheffi eld, where assay offi ces were established by an Act of
Parliament in 1773. Dublin’s assay offi ce has been operating
since the middle of the 17th century and silver is still marked
there. Most British and Irish silver carries a number of stamps
indicating not just the standard or purity mark (typically the lion
passant) but also the initials of the maker, a date letter and the
place of assay.
Since hallmarking began, the leopard’s head has been used
in various forms to denote the London Assay Offi ce. The
Edinburgh mark is a three-turreted castle (to which a thistle was
added from 1759 until 1975 when a lion rampant replace the
thistle); the mark for Sheffi eld was a crown until 1974 when it
was replaced by a rosette, while the symbol for silver made in
Birmingham is an anchor.
RECENTLY SOLD ITEMS
Dublin silver is struck with a crowned harp, to which a seated
fi gure of Hibernia was added in 1731.
Vintage advertising sign
Sold for over £1,000
Selection of jade
Sold for over £6,000
76
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Vintage fruit machine
Sold for over £1,000