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In this Forum we discuss the silver of the United Kingdom, as well as British Colonial silver and Old Sheffield Plate. Past British - Irish Sterling topics/threads worth a look. |
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In this Forum we discuss the silver of the United Kingdom, as well as British Colonial silver and Old Sheffield Plate. Past British - Irish Sterling topics/threads worth a look. |
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 SMP Silver Salon Forums
 British / Irish Sterling
 Cracks In Hallmarks
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| Author | Topic: Cracks In Hallmarks |
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asheland Posts: 935 |
posted 04-07-2006 07:40 PM
  
I have seen alot of London top marked flatware with cracks in the hallmarks. Nowhere else on the piece, just in the hallmarks. In particular the 1780's and 1790's period. Does anyone know why this is? IP: Logged |
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agleopar Posts: 850 |
posted 04-07-2006 09:24 PM
If the crack is parallel to the stem then it is a fold crack that is common in hand forged flatware. When the stem is formed it is easy, especially if being rushed, for the ingot to get I-beam in shape and then when further hammering reduces the diameter it causes the crack. Normally when finishing the spoon by filing most if not all the crack is removed. Since the usual practice was to mark the spoons in an unfinished state (so that the scraping and bashing that the assay masters put them through could be fixed at the same time as the final finishing) the crack was "set" (my word) by the marks, i.e., the crack is now below the level of the surface of the spoon, sort of under the marks. I said it was common for a fold crack to be in hand forged flatware, in modern times it is considered a flaw, but I imagine that in georgian times it was a matter of how many spoons you could forge in a day an little niceties like a properly forged spoon were not so important when except for a small flaw no one would notice. I hope this helps and is clear? IP: Logged |
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asheland Posts: 935 |
posted 04-07-2006 09:50 PM
Yes, I know what you mean with the fold cracks and have seen this alot with bottom marked pieces. But I am referring to top marked flatware, and can't imagine why there would be cracks in that area. Can the folding occur at the end of the handle? I see this mostly on Old English pattern pieces. IP: Logged |
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agleopar Posts: 850 |
posted 04-08-2006 09:57 PM
Sorry Ashland I should know the difference is top marked up near the handle end? Do you have an image of some marks with the crack? IP: Logged |
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asheland Posts: 935 |
posted 04-08-2006 10:34 PM
Hi agleopar, I have images, but nowhere online to put them at the moment. I'll see what I can do. It would be a help to see them. They seem to vary, some are a straight crack and others are a bunch of small cracks. But only inside the hallmarks, nowhere else. asheland IP: Logged |
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swarter Moderator Posts: 2920 |
posted 04-08-2006 10:48 PM
There is one illustrated in this thread (An American Marrow Scoop). IP: Logged |
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adelapt Posts: 418 |
posted 04-09-2006 04:53 AM
If the crack is in the field or background of the punchmark, it would suggest to me that it is caused by stress when striking the punchmark (less likely), or the flaw was in the object when presented for marking (more likely). If it is across raised lettering, then could be the die had a fracture. If the mark is struck across a flaw already in the (unfinished) item, the flaw will be 'preserved' inside the punchmark, but as Agleopar indicated, would often be cleaned up in the finishing process of the surrounding areas. IP: Logged |
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asheland Posts: 935 |
posted 04-09-2006 02:41 PM
You know, that's kind of what I thought it could be (stress from the marks) but it could be small imperfections on the surface. I usually see it on the early 1780's hallmarks. I have a tablespoon with huge hallmarks (London 1783) and it also has them. IP: Logged |
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