Skip to content
Purely Silver
  • Home
  • Silver Information
    • Gemstones and Silver
    • Silver Items
      • Bottles
      • Flatware
        • Spoons
      • Jewellery and Watches
      • Sewing Implements and Accessories
        • Pin Cushions
      • Vanity Items
  • Silver Hallmarks
  • Silver Makers
    • Birmingham Silver Makers
    • Chester Silver Makers
    • Edinburgh Silver Makers
    • Exeter Silver Makers
    • London Silver Makers
    • Sheffield Silver Makers
    • International Silver Makers
      • American Silver Makers
      • Canadian
      • Danish Silver Makers
      • German Silver Makers
  • Styles / Periods
  • Subjects in Silver
    • AnimalsGallery and information on animals depicted in silver.
      • Pigs
    • Birds
      • Swans

Silver Information

Silver has been in use since 4000BC and has been used for both practical purposes and ornamental. Not only are there different purposes for silver, but there are also different types.

If an item is marked Sterling, it means that the silver content is at least 92.5% silver. American silver usually has the word Sterling stamped on it whereas British silver may have either the word Sterling or the Lion Passant. Both indicate that the silver is at least 92.5% silver.

Coin silver was used before sterling silver in America. Coin silver is usually 90% silver.

In addition to sterling silver there is Sheffield Plate, Electroplate and German Silver. Sheffield Plate was one of the earliest types of silver plate. Sheffield Plate was copper with a layer of silver on the top and bottom so that the copper does not show. Sheffield Plate is quite collectible as it is quite rare. Sheffield Plate is no longer used as Electroplating took its place. Sheffield Plate is rarely marked and has a blueish tinge to it.

Electroplating is the process which involves taking a base metal, such as copper or brass, and plating it with silver. Electroplated goods are often stamped EPNS but there are some excellent silver makers which carried out these tasks and electroplated items can also be collected according to their makers.

German Silver actually contains no silver at all. German silver is an alloy of copper, nickel and zinc.

Home » Silver Information » Page 5
Henry Flavelle Dublin Silver Makers Mark
Posted inDublin Silver Makers International Silver Makers Silver Information Silver Makers

Henry Flavelle

Henry Flavelle was a Dublin silver maker and was registered in 1843. Henry Flavelle joined George Brush in an optician and jeweller's business, Flavelle and Brush, in 1840. Brush left the…
Read More
Posted inDublin Silver Makers, International Silver Makers, Silver Information, Silver Makers
A pair of George V novelty silver-gilt and enamel 'Dutch Doll' sugar tongs, Cohen & Charles, London, 1911
Posted inFlatware Silver Information Silver Items Spoons

Sugar Tongs

Sugar tongs were designed to pick up cubes of sugar and date back to the mid eighteenth century. They are sometimes referred to as sugar nips, however, sugar nips were…
Read More
Posted inFlatware, Silver Information, Silver Items, Spoons
Daniel Egan Dublin Silver Makers Mark
Posted inDublin Silver Makers International Silver Makers Silver Information Silver Makers

Daniel Egan

Daniel Egan was a Dublin silversmith registered around 1800. Many of his silverware consisted of silver sugar baskets and other items such as tea services.
Read More
Posted inDublin Silver Makers, International Silver Makers, Silver Information, Silver Makers
Hamilton & Inches Silver Makers Mark
Posted inEdinburgh Silver Makers Silver Information Silver Makers

Hamilton & Inches

Hamilton & Inches was founded by Robert Kirk Inches and his Uncle, James Hamilton, on Monday 28 May 1866. James Hamilton retired in 1883 and the company was continued by…
Read More
Posted inEdinburgh Silver Makers, Silver Information, Silver Makers
John Stone Exeter Silver Makers Mark
Posted inExeter Makers Silver Information Silver Makers

John Stone

John Stone Exeter Silver Maker.John Stone was a provincial, West Country silver maker. This section has some examples of his work and his silver makers mark
Read More
Posted inExeter Makers, Silver Information, Silver Makers
George Turner Exeter Silver Makers Mark
Posted inExeter Makers Silver Information Silver Makers

George Turner

George Turner Exeter Silver Maker. George Turner was a provincial, West Country silver maker. Below is an example of his silver makers mark and a large serving spoon.
Read More
Posted inExeter Makers, Silver Information, Silver Makers
S Kirk Silver Makers Mark with two assay office marks circa 1830
Posted inAmerican Silver Makers International Silver Makers Silver Information Silver Makers

Samuel Kirk – S Kirk & Son

Samuel Kirk & Son was founded in 1815 when Philadelphia-trained Samuel Kirk finished his apprenticeship under James Howell and moved to Baltimore. Attracted by the prosperous port, Kirk opened his…
Read More
Posted inAmerican Silver Makers, International Silver Makers, Silver Information, Silver Makers
Robert Hendery Canadian Silver Makers Mark
Posted inCanadian International Silver Makers Silver Information Silver Makers

Robert Hendery

Robert Hendery was a Canadian silversmith, merchant, and silver manufacturer. He was born on the 14th December 1814 on the island of Corfu (Greece) and died on the 20th July…
Read More
Posted inCanadian, International Silver Makers, Silver Information, Silver Makers
Carl Paol Petersen Canadian Silver Makers Mark
Posted inCanadian International Silver Makers Silver Information Silver Makers

Carl Poul Petersen

Carl Poul Petersen was a goldsmith and a jeweler  born in 1895 in Copenhagen.  He did his studies and apprenticeship with European master Georg Jensen
Read More
Posted inCanadian, International Silver Makers, Silver Information, Silver Makers
Peter Hertz Danish Silver Makers Mark
Posted inDanish Silver Makers International Silver Makers Silver Information Silver Makers

Peter Hertz

Peter Hertz opened his workshop in 1834 and for a period of time had a location in Ostergrade but eventually settled on the corner of Kobmagergrade
Read More
Posted inDanish Silver Makers, International Silver Makers, Silver Information, Silver Makers

Posts pagination

Previous page 1 … 3 4 5 6 7 … 15 Next page

“When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission.  Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network and Google Adsense.”

Copyright 2025 — Purely Silver. All rights reserved.
Scroll to Top

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in .

Purely Silver
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.