posted 04-11-2004 11:25 AM            

It has recently come to my attention that one of my core assumptions about Gorham marks was incorrect. I had always thought that the Lion Anchor G trademark was only used on solid silver, first coin and then sterling. I had also thought that an anchor alone meant that the piece was plated. Well, it isn't always true.

Apparently some early Gorham silverplate holloware IS marked with the Lion Anchor G, just like the coin and sterling pieces. I did not believe it at first, but I was directed to an ongoing eBay auction where just such a piece was being sold, as coin silver.

Fortunately for us, there is an easy way to idntify this early plate. Gorham plated holloware has a pattern number beginning with 0, and this does seem to hold true pretty consistently. So, if you see a piece of holloware with the Lion Anchor G and a number beginning with 0, it is PLATE, not coin.

How is it that this information is generally unknown? For one, Carpenter's book skirts around the topic; he does mention the pattern number clue, but he says that plate was "usually" marked with the Anchor only. Secondly, early Gorham silverplate is so heavily plated and so beautifully constructed that there is often no wear-through and no difference in quality between the solid and plated wares.

As for flatware, I still believe that the Lion Anchor G was only used on solid pieces. Still, who know for certain.

Anyway, watch out, especially on eBay where a number of these early plate pieces have been sold as coin!