A SMALL COLLECTION OF ANTIQUE SILVER AND OBJECTS OF VERTU THE WHAT IS? SILVER DICTIONARY
EUROPEAN COUNTRIES SILVER AND GOLD HALLMARKS NORWAY A silver or gold object that is to be sold commercially is, in most countries, stamped with one or more hallmarks indicating the purity of the metal and the mark of the manufacturer or silversmith The word "HALLMARK" derives from the fact that, since the 16th century, precious metals were sent to the London Goldsmiths' Hall for testing to ensure that the correct standard of silver had been used.
The Goldsmiths' Hall was the headquarters of the Goldsmiths' Company and the home of the Assay Office. In some countries, the testing of precious metal objects and marking of purity is controlled by a national assay office. Depending on the national legislation the use of hallmarks may be compulsory, voluntary or provided by a manufacturer's declaration. The Norwegian hallmarking system is organized on a v