Buying antique or vintage jewelry means first figuring out what it is, where and when it was made, and by whom. That’s why the first thing an experienced buyer will do is hold a piece up to a loupe and examine it for hallmarks. If jewelry has hallmarks and they appear authentic, identifying its value is a whole lot easier.
But many countries – including the U.S. – do not have an official hallmarking system and the hallmarks of one country can vary dramatically from another. How does a budding collector begin to unravel this puzzle?
A trusted dealer can help but if you want to learn to identify jewelry on your own, you’ll need a good guide. There are a few books on the market, but if you want the ultimate, illustrated reference book, be prepared to shell out a couple hundred bucks for World Hallmarks: Europe 19th-21st Centuries, due out in its second printing this month. As co-author Danusia Niklewicz puts it, “This book will pay for itself with one correctly identified piece.”
I recently spoke to Niklewicz and William Whetstone, who compiled this tome with fellow appraiser Lindy Matula, about the basics of hallmark identification.
Is it common for people to confuse a maker’s mark with a hallmark?
Danusia Niklewicz: Yes, especially in the U.S. where we don’t hallmark goods. On our website people can send in questions about hallmarks and many times we receive maker’s marks instead of hallmarks. People think any maker’s mark is a hallmark and that becomes a problem. Maker’s marks aren’t nearly as well documented as hallmarks.
Many countries don’t offer lists of registered makers or their marks. Even in the U.S. and Canada, there is no requirement to register one’s mark. As a result, there is nowhere to research the identity of a signature or mark. You will only find hallmarks on jewelry made in countries that have laws that require independent testing of metal fineness and that document their makers marks with an official stamp – a government stamp or an independent lab stamp – indicating the results of such testing.
William Whetstone: In many places, especially Europe, it’s required that a maker register their mark at a hallmarking or assaying office so it can be tracked. In most European countries, a secondary system is set up where the assay office tests the pieces and puts their stamps on it to indicate that it was verified by an independent body. It’s similar to gem certification. Most people buying an expensive diamond today want a certificate issued by an independent organization like the GIA. Just like these certified diamonds that are laser-inscribed on the girdle of the diamond with the cert number, a hallmarked item is marked with the results of the testing.
Russian hallmark and maker's mark
So what kind of assurance am I getting with a maker’s mark?
Whetstone: A maker’s mark can be the manufacturer, the company that sponsored the piece to be made, or the individual craftsman. In any case, whoever is marked on the piece takes the responsibility for it. In countries where they don’t even mark their pieces, the importer becomes the responsible party. Really, a hallmark is about the most important means of consumer protection within the precious metals. In other words, if you’re a maker and you stamp something 18kt, you take responsibility. You’re guaranteeing that it’s 18kt.
Niklewicz: In most European countries, including France and Great Britain, an item is not legal for sale without a hallmark. Germany doesn’t have hallmarking, but it’s the exception. A few countries, like Austria and Norway, have optional hallmarking. Italy doesn’t require hallmarking but it has better registration of the maker, a specific number, so what you see as an Italian mark was placed there by the maker. It’s a little more formal than any other maker’s voluntary marking.
Italian maker's mark
Does that mean I’m safe buying jewelry made in Italy?
Whetstone: Not necessarily. I think it’s easy to recognize Italian marks but you don’t have the same protection or guarantee unless an item is hallmarked. There was a notoriously famous chain that marked their jewelry 18kt on one side and “Italy” on the other. “Italy” is not a guarantee. So you find the 18kt gold chain you bought is only 14kt gold. Who do you hold responsible? The merchant you bought it from can say, “It’s not my fault. It doesn’t have my trademark on it.” This goes on all the time. Under-karating is rampant in North America.
It’s caveat emptor here?
Whetstone: We were talking to assay masters at a conference in Geneva and they privately say they laugh at the consumer protection system within the U.S. because there is no policing of this.
Niklewicz: The U.S. is missing out on a huge European market because we don’t have the standards they demand. They consider our products generally inferior.
Whetstone: Tiffany & Co. sends jewelry to London to have it hallmarked so they can sell it on the European market. Most jewelry makers don’t realize how fast and inexpensive it is to have jewelry hallmarked now, given modern technology. If you’re selling something for $1,000 or more and it only costs $10 to get it hallmarked, that’s a worthwhile investment. You can also get volume discounts.
French maker's mark
What can I learn from hallmarks if I’m collecting estate or antique jewelry made in France or other parts of Europe?
Whetstone: In some countries, hallmarks can tell you what city and what year a piece was made. At the very least, they allow you to figure out the country of origin and that’s really important. Somebody recently sent me a picture of an Art Deco piece they thought was French. It wasn’t. It was Egyptian. It was extremely well made. There were a lot of talented craftsmen in Egypt during 1920s who came from France and England and were doing very fine work. But this person thought the piece came from France. Does it make a difference in value if a piece is French Art Deco instead of Eyptian Art Deco? Yes, a big difference.
Does understanding hallmarks mean I can buy antique jewelry on eBay – or is it best to avoid that?
Whetstone: eBay is a viable market, providing you’ve done your research to make sure what you’re looking at is correct. I buy on eBay. One problem with buying on eBay is that I consistently see stuff that is just wrong. I informed a seller recently that something advertised as “made in the 1700s” was actually made in the 1930s in Czechoslovakia. In many cases, mistakes like that are innocent and they thank me and take it down. But that is why you have to read and do your homework before buying.
Want more? William Whetstone and Danusia Niklewicz will be talking hallmarks in July at the 29th Annual Antique Period Jewelry and Art Conference - better known as “Jewelry Camp.” If you want to learn more about estate jewelry, I recommend attending this conference at least once!
Jewelry Camp 2010, Long Island, NY
July 16-18
I am always interested in information about hallmarks it is a subject that many so called professional jewelers simply ignore. thank you for your input
Hello,
I was wondering if by chance you know what jeweler had a hallmark of an arrow with a C through it?
It is on a pair of my grandfathers platinum and diamond cufflinks from the 1920′s. Not sure how much they are worth.
Thanks so much, Jackie
Hi Jackie, the experts interviewed here might be willing to have a look for you. If you send a pic, I’d be happy to pass it on.
Cathleen
Hi I would like to know what date is the russian silver hallmark that you show on your site. With head 875 mark as I have a teapot with the exact same mark even with the little H at side of the head. Thanks for your help in advance
This is very interesting to me and I am always intrigued with European Hallmarks. However, as a contemporary jewelry designer, I would like to have the potential for my work to be recognized after my demise. I have a Hallmark which I stamp on every piece, but am wondering what would be the American version of registering this hallmark?
Hello Everyone,
Thank you Cathleen for drawing our attention to the comments above. We have offer a reply to each, below…
In reply to Jacqueline Bower,
There are a few variations to a C with an arrow through it. These are known as trademarks, it is not a hallmark. Though a photo would be helpful to know which trademark you are seeing, we do not specialize on identifying trademarks. Sorry we cannot be of more help.
In reply to Maggy,
If the hallmark that you have has the same shovel shape outline as the one in our picture, and is on a normal sized silver teapot (definitely weighing over 10 grams) then there is a good indication that the item was marked within the time span of 1954 to 1958. The core image represents the Soviet worker, head facing right with a cap on his head and a hammer over his right shoulder, used from the years 1927 to 1958. The shovel shape and the piece it is marked on narrows the dates to the 1954 to 1958, mentioned above. The small H in the lower left corner, for this time period, indicates that the assay office that struck the hallmark was located in the town of Tallinn which was under Soviet Russian rule at the time, but is now independent Estonia. Hope that helps!
In reply to Barbara Klar,
If I understand your question correctly, you have your maker’s mark which is your brand, your logo, your trademark – they are all one in the same. That is not a hallmark and it is important to know the difference. The mark of the maker represents the person or company responsible for the design/creation/manufacture of the item and is responsible for the metal content of that piece, as well. A hallmark is the independent verification of that metal content, protecting the consumer by assay testing the metal, thus proving or disproving the fineness claim made by the maker. A hallmark is a separate stamp from the trademark. While there is no hallmarking regulations in the United States, countries that do hallmark generally require a precious metal item be submitted for hallmarking before it can legally be offered for sale.
A hallmark can offer more information, not only on the metal purity of the item but can indicate where the item was marked, the country and possibly even the city. It may offer the date of hallmarking (generally near the time the piece was completed), and, in some cases, can even show an indication of the weight of the item which can be helpful to know if the item had been altered over time.
Now to address your question! To be sure that your trademark is recognized as yours for years to come, it will be important to register your trademark with the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office. Be sure that it is a mark that you will like enough to keep forever (changing an established trademark is not recommended.) Then offer your maker’s mark (trademark) to the various websites that list maker’s marks. Post it on your website and list it with any websites that offer maker mark identification. There are several sites that list older maker’s marks and a few that list contemporary marker’s marks.
Hope that helps, and good luck!
Danusia Niklewicz
HALLMARK RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Thanks so much for weighing in, Danusia!
Thankyou Danusia: This helps clarify. What are the websites that offer maker mark identification? Recently, I was surprised to see a piece of mine listed on ebay which showed my maker’s mark in a close-up photo and listed me as the maker. Obviously, the information is out there but I would like to take the opportunity to list my contemporary maker’s mark on these sites. Best, Barbara
Dear Barbara,
Sorry for the delay, I have been out of town.
I just checked the links to several websites that offered signature information and two were GONE! The other two websites are the Bob Mitchell site that has designer marks. While he has artist signatures and trademarks listed as hallmarks, it really is the only site for crafts people to list their info left! http://www.artguidesource.com
The other one was developed by an appraiser, Gina D’Onofrio, who is collecting them from all over to help other appraisers. http://www.jewelrymarkphotos.com
Last, be sure to register your trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. That will guarantee you will have your name listed with your mark, forever.
Good luck!
Danusia
Danusa: Thankyou! I will follow through on the information you provided, I so appreciate it! Best, Barbara
It’s a shame you don’t have a donate button! I’d most certainly donate to this fantastic blog! I guess for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to fresh updates and will talk about this website with my Facebook group. Chat soon!
Okay, that does it. I’m adding a donate button!
My fiance’s father died a couple of weeks ago and we were going through his jewelry box and came across a ring that was gold with a monogram of his great grandfather’s initials and on the inside were his and his wife’s initials and a number 4 and on it’s righthand side was an up pointing arrow with a horizontal base line. They were the first generation to come to the states from Norway, so it could very easily be a scandanavian mark, but I just can’t find it aywhere. Any thoughts?
Dear Stacy,
You may have a hallmark but most likely it is a trademark. The old adage “A picture is worth a thousand words” applies here very well. We can spend a lot of time speculating but if you can take a sharp, close up picture and send to us via our website or upload it to a public site and share the link here, we may be able to give you more information.
For everyone else following this blog, here are two links to add to your resources that you may find interesting. The first is a great site… center4jewelrystudies.org. Started by Christie Romero, it is a plethora of information. For those of you that love to look at marks, a fabulous site that is very informational for silver marks is 925-1000.com. These are both worthy of bookmarking and good to reference often.
Keep hallmark hunting!
Danusia
HALLMARK RESEARCH INSTITUTE
sorry to say we are back in Florida and didn’t think to take a picture while we were there, but I’ll see if someone back at the house can take a picture. We actually drew it on a piece of paper and tried using that new smartphone app where you take a picture and it brings you to websites on the net that apply, but nothing came up. Thanks for the quick response, I’ll be back as soon as I can get a picture.
I have a cuff bracelet with an emerald in the center and 4 small leaves that I assume are either platinum or white gold; the rest of the bracelet is 18k. The hallmarks on either side of the opening for the wrist have me stumped. One says 750 and I know that is the European hallmark for 18k. However, what is 1 2 9 V I? Those numbers are inside a symbol that looks as if you joined 2 triangles sideways. By that I mean they would have the pointy peak of one triangle facing left and the other facing to the right. Then, remove the line between the 2 triangles. Finally, if you are not totally confused, the pointy parts of the triangles, are kind of squared. A simpler way to explain it, is take the page of a magazine (Time for instance) and cut off a triangle from each of the 4 corners. That is the shape of the symbol around the mystery numbers of 129 V I. By the way, The ‘I’ looks like a straight vertical line and does not have the top and bottom like the capital I I’ve typed. If it helps, my grandfather was a jeweler in Brazil in the 1950s and a lot of what he sold came from Italy.Thank you and sorry for the confusing question.
Hello Dora,
You had me at the first mention of 129 VI!
While there is no official hallmarking in Italy at this moment, Italian maker’s have long held the practice of marking their pieces with a stamp that holds their register number and the district where their shop is located or is registered.
Your piece has this classic maker’s mark. The 129 stands for an Italian manufacturer – Narciso Rigoni which, according to the only guide we have on Italian makers dating back 1993, no longer is in business. The VI stands for the district of Vincenza in Italy.
If your piece had platinum on it, you would have a mark for it. So chances are the white metal is white gold or a rhodium plating on that particular area.
Hope that helps.
Danusia Niklewicz
HALLMARK RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Is there a register that identifies all the jewlery factories in italy. I am interested in identifying a bracelet with the VI 13. I know VI stand for Vicenza because I was station there with the U.S. Army however; the 13 I have no idea. In the previous letter identified 129 as Narciso Rigoni. I am also looking for AAA or AAAA or Adragna Antonio’ (Vicenza) factory hallmark registration.
Thank you,
Manny
Excellent Post on jewelry hallmarks. I like to know more on some jewelries. Would you like to tell me something on Vintage Jewellery, Fashion Jewellery, Designer Costume Jewellery, Handmade Jewelry Israeli Jewelry, romantic jewelry, handcrafted jewelry, sterling silver, online jewelry store.
I known something on Canadian Fashion, Handmade and Israeli Jewelry and like it most.
Thanks, Sharon. I don’t know if I can cover all that but I’ll keep your suggestions in mind. There’s so much ground to cover here and obvious interest from readers of this blog. Follow-up coming soon.
HI,
As I am designing a line of jewelry, it was recommended by the American manufacturer that I obtain a Hallmark. I am having trouble finding out how to go about this process and wonder if to do so, all of my items must be shipped overseas to have it stamped or if by applying and obtaining a hallmark my manufacturer can stamp the pieces (they have their own, but I believe it is a trademark only). Please clarify for me! Thank you, Cathy B.
Dear Cathy,
Unfortunately, here in the United States we do not have hallmarking. Thus there is often the erroneous interchange of the terms “hallmark” and “trademark,” and often they are consider as being one and the same. Just as you learned, they are not the same.
Hallmarking results from, as described above, the legally imposed independent testing of a precious item and the subsequent striking of that fineness in a special format, generally unique to the hallmarking country. By law, the item could not be offered for sale without such a hallmark in such countries.
Here, our laws are much more lenient and place the burden of accuracy of the fineness claim on the maker. In the USA and Canada, an item of precious metal that has a fineness mark on it must have that mark accompanied by a maker’s mark (also correctly called a trademark, sponsor’s mark, or responsibility mark), so that if the item fell short of it’s claimed purity or fineness (underkarated), there would be the trademark of those responsible.
Essentially, the person advising you is asking you to create your ‘mark,’ or as you have already figured out, a trademark. It is just as important, here, to create your trademark A trademark will be identified with your style as a brand name, which works in your favor as time goes on and you gain more recognition.
Trademarks are not a simple task. You must devise a design that you will be happy with for years to come, make it simple enough to mark in a small area (like inside ring shank), and then present it to the patent and trademark office of this government. It may be worth your time and sanity to have a trademark attorney handle all the paperwork for you.
Whatever you choose to do, good luck in you endeavors! Hope this has helped to clear things up for you.