Collection of Estate Pipe Makers and Mounters

[PipeIT]

I just ran across this today, an amazing collection of Estate pipe makers.

This is a must read through for pipe lovers, especially the lover of old Estates!

Pipe Makers and Mounters - www.925-1000.com

Antique Silver Hallmark Identification Forums

www.925-1000.com

Enjoy!

P.S. I’m not sure if anyone has ever posted this site before... hmm ?

We should also snag up all that info/photos and post it on Pipesmagazine in case that site ever goes off line, so we have all of this archived here.

 

[PipeIT]

Additional sites for hallmarks.

TOBACCONISTS, PIPE MAKERS AND MOUNTERS HALLMARKS: J

description, photos and information about maker's and sponsor's marks (J) entered in British Assay Offices by tobacconists, pipe manufacturers, pipe mounters, tobacco, cigars, fancy goods importers in The What is? Silver Dictionary of www.silvercollection.it

www.silvercollection.it

Silver Makers Marks

British & Irish silvermiths' makers marks indexed by Assay Office

www.silvermakersmarks.co.uk

 

[verporchting]

Wow, that’s a seriously cool site. Great information.

 

[PipeIT]

While on the subject of Estates, please put up links on any Hallmark sites you know of! Thanks ?

Here are some more Hallmark links;

gold and silver hallmarks on pipes – rebornpipes

Posts about gold and silver hallmarks on pipes written by rebornpipes

rebornpipes.com

183. Hallmarks: Dating Your Peterson with Metal-Mount Markings

With the Peterson book now sold out at the publisher (although Smokingpipes.com still has copies), I feel I can finally offer a guide on dating Peterson pipes by their metal-mount markings to those…

petersonpipenotes.org

Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks

The most comprehensive internet resource for research of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks found on antique and vintage silver and silverplate.

www.925-1000.com

 

[tklee]

wow.... nice sites bro! Good information! ? ? ?

 

[PipeIT]

Oooh found this today.

Birmingham Assay Office | Hallmarking precious metals

Birmingham assay office, hallmarking and Gemmology lab certification protecting the consumer from fraudulent items

theassayoffice.com

 

[ashdigger]

I assumed these were already known. Shows how deep in the weeds I am.

Here’s a helpful note.

Birmingham - sideways anchor, pre-1900 Upright anchor, 1900 and beyond.

Also pay close attention to the shape of Hallmark. Especially the area surrounding the date stamp. Is it round, is it a form of rectangle, does it have scroll indents or whatever they call it.

Sometimes handling almost eradicates the Hallmark. Shapes are really critical then.

 

[PipeIT]

Just saw this, not sure how factual it is.
—————————-
In the late 18th Century Birmingham was becoming an important manufacturer of silverware, but had to send all its good to Chester for Assay, Mathew Boulton one of the leading manufacturers of silverware claimed he was suffering from the predations of highwaymen and careless handing in Chester and petitioned Parliament for an Assay Office in Birmingham (Boutons private records show no mention of problems with the Chester Assay office and it is assumed he just didnt want Chester silversmith copying his designs

To bolster his petition in Parliament he allied with silversmiths in Sheffield who also wanted a local Assay office, despite the resistance from the London Guilds Boulton got his assay office as did Sheffiled

It is claimed that who had what Assay Mark was decided in the Crown and Anchor Tavern in the Strand London where much business was transacted, a toss of the coin decided that Sheffield got the Crown whilst Birmingham got the Anchor…..

 

[PipeIT]

I assumed these were already known. Shows how deep in the weeds I am.

Here’s a helpful note.

Birmingham - sideways anchor, pre-1900 Upright anchor, 1900 and beyond.

Also pay close attention to the shape of Hallmark. Especially the area surrounding the date stamp. Is it round, is it a form of rectangle, does it have scroll indents or whatever they call it.

Sometimes handling almost eradicates the Hallmark. Shapes are really critical then.

This info shows pre 1900s with upright Anchors.

Birmingham Date Letters

 

[ashdigger]

This info shows pre 1900s with upright Anchors.

Birmingham Date Letters

That’s what I used to think.

Wait until a shit ton of hallmarked pipes crosses your hands.

The document doesn’t give any guidance, it just states what the anchor is.

 

[ashdigger]

One more thing about the sideways anchor. I was constantly banging my head against the wall trying to date Birmingham pipes.

Another Forum member with an extremely good knowledge of hallmarks and standards posted that “pro tip” and it all fell in line.

I have roughly 40 pipes from the 1800’s and Birmingham hallmarks are roughly 35 of them.

If you don’t use the sideways anchor the first thing you run into is weird construction. Why are pipes from the 40’s and 50’s using Orific Bits and Bone Tenons AND are BBB’s?

I can tell you from the pipes in my hands, I’m a subset of one, BBB stopped using bone tenons and Orific bits in the late teens and early 20’s.

A vertical anchor doesn’t fit the date letter for that construction.

A horizontal date letter squares right up.

If you would like pictures I’ll happily show the differences.

 

[Ahi Ka]

@PipeIT post the pic of what I think is a pipe from 1918 with the horizontal anchor.

I was reading on some silver research forums and one of things mentioned about a sideways anchor was that it was used on smaller pieces, so if one was copied to fraudulently mark a larger item of “silver”, you would know it wasn’t legit. All conjecture, but an interesting idea

 

[PipeIT]

@PipeIT post the pic of what I think is a pipe from 1918 with the horizontal anchor.

I was reading on some silver research forums and one of things mentioned about a sideways anchor was that it was used on smaller pieces, so if one was copied to fraudulently mark a larger item of “silver”, you would know it wasn’t legit. All conjecture, but an interesting idea

The hallmark letter looks like an L because there’s a line at the bottom, going to the right.

I guess the abbreviations of the maker is E. J. D.

If it’s a D on the end, the left side is open... hmm ?

 

[Ahi Ka]

Thanks bro. It’s a good example of how dating comes from reading the whole band. To my eyes, the date letter still looks like the “t” for Birmingham 1918, but knowing how random a ww1 piece would be for Okley, Tim’s tip about the sideways anchor, and even the cartouche shape of the anchor, I can accept that my first look was about 20-25 years off

 

[PipeIT]

Ahh yes, a t, like these small t we are typing here, with a foot at the bottom, that goes slightly to the right, plus you can see a horizontal line crossing it at the top.

Good catch mate...

 

[Ahi Ka]

what confused with me, and maybe its not actually an issue at all…but when I look at the date stamp for 1893, the “t” is in a circle not the rectangle with its edges cut off.

 

[PipeIT]

The forum seems to be resizing the images we post. That pic isn’t original, and clear.

I uploaded it here, so you can see it in the original size and clearer.

Zoom it up, and now you can make out the detail(s) better.

46-A12-E46-DDB8-4-D67-A41-B-383625-BFC3-DD hosted at ImgBB

Image 46-A12-E46-DDB8-4-D67-A41-B-383625-BFC3-DD hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

 

[jguss]

On the subject of English hallmarks one indispensable source more comprehensive and authoritative than anything online is John Culme’s two volume magnum opus The Directory of Gold & Silversmiths - Jewellers & Allied Trades 1838-1914. A little dated but still the best single source by far that I know of. It’s pricey, but a few libraries have it and used copies pop up on eBay.