A List of Silversmiths'
Hallmarks & Silver Makers' Marks
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This is
by no means an exhaustive list of Silversmiths'
Hallmarks, but gradually it will be built up into
a reasonably substantial reference section for
silver hallmarks and silver makers.Listed below
are the Silver Hallmarks and makers marks associated
with Henry Wilkinson and Company, John Lambe and
the Sampson Mordan Company. |
Henry Wilkinson and Company Limited
The makers mark 'H.W. & Co. Ld.' (for Henry Wilkinson
and Company Limited) was entered on 3rd October 1890.
The background to the company is that their factory
was located at Norfolk Street, Sheffield on 26th June
1857 with showrooms at 4 Bolt Court, Fleet Street, EC
in 1891. The London premises were moved to Ely House,
13 Charterhouse Street, Holborn Circus EC on 7th November
1887. The first marks were entered at the London Assay
Office on 23rd June 1857 by Henry Wilkinson and in 1872
the company was converted into a limited liability company,
(therefore the Ld.) but in 1892 it went into liquidation
and was acquired by Walker & Hall.
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| Wilkinson Hallmark on Silver Standish |
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Wilkinson Hallmark
on Silver Salt |
John Lambe (IL)
John Lambe was the son of Edward John Lambe, Goldsmith.
He was apprenticed to Ebinezer Coker on 5th February
1755. His first recorded mark was entered on 8th February
1774 as a spoonmaker and his address was given as 97
Fetter Lane London. His second mark was entered on 25th
August 1780 with his address given as 29 Fetter Lane
London. Lambe entered a further ten marks between 15th
February 1782 and 17th October 1791 and there are records
that he was also a watchmaker whilst at 29 Fetter Street,
but apparently this lasted only between 1783 and 1796.
He had a brother George who was apprenticed to James
Tookey but he does not appear to have entered any marks.
Sampson Mordan &
Co Ltd
Sampson Mordan, Snr was born in 1790 and was apprenticed
to the famous John Bramah who invented patent locks.
Although his business was supposed to have been established
in 1815 he did not patent his ever-pointed propelling
pencil until 20th December 1822. He entered his first
silver mark on 20th June 1823 and another with his partner
Gabriel Riddle on 30th April 1824. Mordan and Riddle
had their premises at 22 Castle Street, City Rd.,where
S. Mordan & Co were first listed as "patent
ever-pointed pencil and portable pen manufacturers."
The partnership between Mordan and Riddle was dissolved
on 20th December 1836 and the company continued to be
run by Sampson Mordan himself. Mordan Snr died in 1843
and the business was taken over by his sons Sampson
and Augustus. They were later joined by Edmund George
Johnson and Zachariah Watkins who retired on 17th April
1879. Sampson Mordan Jnr retired to Paris died there
on 9th May 1881 and his share of the business passed
to Augustus. By 1890 Harry Lambert Symonds had joined
the business as a partner and the company operated from
41 & 43 City Road London EC. In 1898 the company
converted to a limited liability company and operated
under the name S. Mordan & Co Ltd absorbing a smaller
business of Johnson, Sons & Edmonds of 32 John Street
Bedford Row, London, WC. The City Road Factory was rebuilt
in 1900 and showrooms were opened at 9 & 11 Warwick
Street, Regent Street, London W and after 1909 they
moved to Belfast Chambers, 7 Beak Street, Regent Street,
London W. In 1933 the company gave the distribution
rights on their propelling pencil business (for which
they were and are famous) to L. G. Sloan Ltd., The Pen
Corner, 41 Kingsway London WC2. The company ceased trading
in 1941 following destruction of their factory by enemy
bombing and the patents were sold to Edward Baker. The
company was put into voluntary liquidation in 1952.
In addition to silver and gold pencils the company also
produced a large range of wares, especially novelty
items in both gold and silver They supplied silver articles
to many retailers including Asprey & Sons &
the Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co. Ltd. The most
recent and most detailed history of the company can
be found in Edward Eldred's 'Sampson Mordan & Company'
which is an illustrated leaflet produced in 1986.
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| Sampson
Mordan Makers Mark on Silver Menu Holder |
Page
1 |
Sampson Mordan Makers
Mark on Silver
Vesta Case |
If you cannot
visit our period showrooms in the beautiful Derbyshire
countryside, why not visit our antique
silver or antique
silver plate sections of our web site. Each
piece of silver should have a close-up of the
hallmark. Should you require further images of
any of our stock then email us regarding the item.
An email link can be found on each stock item
page.
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