Can Anyone Identify this Hallmark?

Brothers of Briar

Help Support Brothers of Briar:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

ontariopiper

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 10, 2015
Messages
617
Reaction score
12
Hi folks,

I'm trying to identify the hallmark on a Sterling shank band. I've got 2 out of 3 but the last one is a stumper.

s-l1600.jpg" style="width: 600px;height: 600px


The first two, an Anchor and Lion, stand for Birmingham, England and Sterling silver, respectively. The third hallmark, which I read as an Orb in a Laurel wreath, doesn't show up in the hallmark tables. Typically the third mark is a date letter, not another symbol.

Anyone seen this before?
 
ontariopiper":dh6n1t3j said:
Hi folks,

I'm trying to identify the hallmark on a Sterling shank band. I've got 2 out of 3 but the last one is a stumper.

s-l1600.jpg" style="width: 600px;height: 600px


The first two, an Anchor and Lion, stand for Birmingham, England and Sterling silver, respectively. The third hallmark, which I read as an Orb in a Laurel wreath, doesn't show up in the hallmark tables. Typically the third mark is a date letter, not another symbol.

Anyone seen this before?
If the third is normally associated with a date, I wonder if it could be a coronation or Jubilee year?
 
This is what I came up with...

The Sovereign’s Orb…is a symbol of Godly power. A cross above a globe, It represents ‘Christ’s dominion over the world’, as the Monarch is God’s representative on Earth.

It is presented to the Sovereign [thus]: “Receive this orb set under the cross, and remember that the whole world is subject to the Power and Empire of Christ our Redeemer.”

The Sovereign’s sceptre…represent the temporal power of The King or Queen, and is associated with good governance.


Maybe it represents royalty at the time the pipe was created?
 
Mmmm, that 's a toughy OP. I've had a good rummage around a few sites for you but have only been able to turn up the same as you. My best guess is it's a makers mark. But, defo made in Birmingham.
 
I’m with the doc on this one. Unusual symbols usually mean something special happened that year.

Update: Birmingham assay Office website says it stands for platinum, not silver. I realize this makes more questions than answers lol
 
Jevverrett":swytogw5 said:
I’m with the doc on this one. Unusual symbols usually mean something special happened that year.

Update: Birmingham assay Office website says it stands for platinum, not silver. I realize this makes more questions than answers lol
That certainly adds another level of mystery to the game! A Sterling band marked as platinum?? My guess is a mis-stamping that slipped through quality control. I can't think of another reason for the mark.... :scratch:
 
I wasn’t sure I could post the link to the government assay site. The lion is definitely sterling silver. And the orb is for platinum. Maybe the pipe stem had a metallic adornment at some time that was too small for a mark? Possibly a letter, like a Peterson might have. Or a dot like dunhill.

Who made the pipe, anyway?
 
Jevverrett":g4nzjqjl said:
I wasn’t sure I could post the link to the government assay site. The lion is definitely sterling silver. And the orb is for platinum. Maybe the pipe stem had a metallic adornment at some time that was too small for a mark? Possibly a letter, like a Peterson might have. Or a dot like dunhill.

Who made the pipe, anyway?
Sadly I don't have the pipe in my possession - I was sent the pics from a fellow piper looking for information. All I got were the pics of the hallmarks.
 
Top