HALL-MARKS

the marks placed on gold or silver articles to indicate the quality of the gold or silver; e.g., in the case of gold, a crown and the number 22 indicate that the article is of 22 carat gold (%¢., contains 22 parts of gold out of 24). On silver ware the marks indicate respectively that the articles are of 11 oz. 10 dwt. and 11 oz. 2 dwt. finene , showing the proportion of pure silver in 1 lb. (= 12 oz.) of the metals thus marked. Hall-marks on silver plate were introduced in the 13th cent. by the Eng. Guild of Goldsmiths and Silversmiths; these were the king’s mark, the maker’s mark, and the year’s mark. Some provincial towns have their own a ay marks. The lion pa ané was introduced in 1554; from 1784 to 1890 the sovereign’s portrait was used.