Scottish marks are in a field by themselves. The art of the silversmith has always been on a high level in Scotland, and the statutes governing the marks are many in number, and extend over a long period from as early as the fifteenth century. This is also why that, in most cases, Scottish silver pieces tend to be in higher demand and command premium prices.
Besides Edinburgh and Glasgow, the number of Scottish hall-marks is legion. The following towns are known to have marked and presumably assayed silver:
Stirling,
Perth (sometimes having mark of lamb and flag, and sometimes double-headed spread-eagle)
Inverness,
Dundee(marked with design of town arms, a pot of lilies),
Aberdeen, and
Banff.
Edinburgh used the thistle as the Standard Mark after 1759. Before that date the Assay Master’s initials were used. The Hall Mark is a castle with three towers, and has been in use since the fifteenth century. The Date Mark, letters A to Z (omitting J), has been regularly employed since 1681. The Maker’s Mark has been used since 1457. The Duty Mark of the sovereign’s head was added from 1784 to 1890.
Glasgow, whose patron saint is St. Kentigern (known also as St. Mungo), has for a Hall Mark a tree with a bird perched on summit, a bell suspended from the boughs, and transversely across trunk a salmon with a ring in his mouth; the latter alluding to the miracle of the recovery in the fish’s mouth of the lost ring of the Queen of Caidyow. The Standard Mark is a lion rampant, used after 1819, and the Maker’s Mark his initials. The Duty Mark of the sovereign’s head was used as at Edinburgh.
Scottish silver hall marks, Edinburgh 1705, as found on a quaich made by silversmith Roberth Inglis.
The Edinburgh marks of the date 1705 shown above are from an old Scottish Quaich. Robert Inglis was the Maker, and the Assay Master was James Penman, and their initials are on separate stamps. The letter A is the date letter for 1705.
Scottish silver hall marks, Edinburgh 1750
The mark for 1750 shows the letter V in italic capitals, and the Assay Master’s initials are II.B, and the Makers’ are signified by K&D.
An Edinburgh mug is marked with the letters A.U and I K, standing for Alexander Ure, the Maker, and James Kerr, the Assay Master. The, date letter is K, probably representing the year 1790.
A sugar-caster, 1746, has the Maker’s initials E.O. and the Assay Master’s initials H.G. (for Hugh Gordon). The castle is also stamped as the Hall Mark, and the date letter R in italic capitals.
Scottish silver hall marks, Edinburgh 1769.
A coffee-pot made by Patrick Robertson, 1769, has the marks shown above. The thistle is the Standard Mark ; the castle is the Hall Mark; P.R. is the Maker’s Mark; and the letter $ for the date. Another of Patrick Robertson’s pieces a fine tea-urn in classic style. The date letter for this is Z, indicating the year 1778.
Scottish silver hallmarks, Glasgow 1713
Scottish silver hall marks, Glasgow 1824
Two Glasgow marks are shown above. One is before 1819, before the lion rampant was used ; and the other shows the lion rampant, the Standard Mark of Glasgow still in use. The Duty Mark Stamp is the head of George IV. F is the date letter for 1824.
Source: Chats on Old Silver by Arthur Hayden.
