Hall-Marking of Jewellery, Practically Considered, By George E. Gee, 1882

“An account of all the different assay towns of the United Kingdom, with the stamps at present employed and also the laws related to the standards and hall marks at the various assay offices and a variety of practical suggestions concerning the mixing of standard alloys and other useful information”

This 1882 book thoroughly covers hallmarking, and the creation of the hallmarking system in the UK, the issues that drove its creation, and the hallmarks themselves. It’s 237 pages have the most information about hallmarking and its history of any book. Any person interested in the history of jewelry, antiques, goldsmithing should have this book.

There is a solid introduction to the field. Irish, British and continental standards are fully described. All the legal histories are investigated. This is truly everything about stamping your work as well, what shapes the punches should be. All the hallmarking halls and towns are individually discussed, as are the rules, of which there are many, and changing ones. Many alloys for hallmarking are described in detail. A large part of the book is the actual laws that affect this (or at least the 1882 ones).

There is a section of forms, and an extensive index. An interesting and full book from someone who clearly loved the history of assaying, hallmarking, and practicing a profession with precious metals.

Charles Lewton-Brain © 2012

File Size: 8.28MB, 237 Pages