GEORGIAN SILVER TEA SPOONS & HALLMARKS by Thomas Batlings

When I research hallmarks on Georgian silver spoons, I begin by checking the "mark of origin" to discover where the item was assayed. Then I check the "city's section" in a good hallmarks table - these can be found on-line or in a good guide (I use Jackson's Hallmarks published by the Antique Collectors' Club). After this step, I check:

• the date letter - to see whether it's a capital or lower case letter;
• the script; &
• the shape of the shield around the letter.

I then compare these with the letters in the hallmarks tables. Once I am sure about the place and date of origin, it's is fairly easy to then look up the maker's mark. I try to pay about £20 for Georgian tea spoons, although this varies if a spoon is rare or unusual (for example, I pay about £60 - £80 for 18th century picture back tea spoons). The following spoons are by Duncan Urquhart & Napthali Hart and were assayed in 1801 (est. £100 - £120). The set of six includes one 18th Century spoon by Samuel Godbehere & Edward Wigan. This example shows, that although hallmarks on Georgian spoons are quite often rubbed, it is still possible to identify where and when a piece was made.

Work by Jonathan Hayne is highly regarded by silver collectors, particularly his silver forks and spoons. Assayed in 1829, the following example shows a silver tea spoon by Jonathan Hayne (est. £20 - £25). The spoon dates from the late Georgian period and has a George IV duty mark.