ELKINGTON ELECTROPLATE SILVER AND SILVER PLATE

created by Giorgio B. owner of www.silvercollection.it ©

Elkington	Fabergé	Georg Jensen	Gorham	Tiffany & Co	WMF	Reed & Barton	Mappin & Webb	Bateman	Wiener Werkstatte

The earliest electroplate made by Elkington's was marked with 'E & Co' crowned in a shield and the word ELEC TRO PLATE in three portions.

1840	1841 (note 6)

1842-1864 (note 1) (note 7)

1865-1897 (note 2)

In 1841 and again in 1842 the mark was changed and a date number was added. The date number was in use from 1841 to 1848 (the 6 was reversed).

(click on "yellow date" for image)

DATE	1841	1842	1843	1844	1845	1846	1847	1848
NUMBER	1	2	3	4	5	6 (rev.)	7	8

see (note 6) for 1845, 1847 and 1848 mark

In 1849 the series was altered to letters, beginning with K

 

(click on "yellow date" for image)

DATE	1849	1850	1851	1852	1853	1854	1855	1856	1857	1858	1859	1860	1861	1862	1863	1864
LETTER	K	L	M	N	O	P	Q	R	S	T	U	V	W	X	Y	Z

see (note 1) for 1849(K), 1852(N), 1853(O), 1854 and 1861 marks
see (note 5) for a variant of 1853 mark
see (note 7) for 1849, 1850 and 1858 mark
see (note 10) for 1851 "M" mark
see (note 20) for "HP" intertwined letters into a lozenge
see (note 21) for "F" letter into a lozenge

With the beginning of the new series of letters in 1865 the mark was also changed. The date letter left out B, C, I and J, while Q, not used by the sheet department and only partially by the cast department, was used as well R in 1877.

date letter 1865-1885

(click on "yellow date" for image)

DATE	1865	1866	1867	1868	1869	1870	1871	1872	1873	1874	1875
LETTER	A	D	E	F	G	H	K	L	M	N	O

see (note 2) for 1865 mark     see (note 3) for 1870 mark     see (note 8) for 1868 mark     see (note 16) for 1869 G mark

DATE	1876	1877	1878	1879	1880	1881	1882	1883	1884	1885
LETTER	P	Q R	S	T	U	V	W	X	Y	Z

see (note 2) for 1881(V), 1883(X), 1884 and 1885 (Z) mark  

Slightly different marks were used in 1898-1899 and from 1900 onwards. 

1898-1899

1900 onwards

date letter 1886-1911

(click on "yellow date" for image)

DATE	1886	1887	1888	1889	1890	1891	1892	1893	1894	1895	1896	1897	1898
LETTER	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M

see (note 15) for 1892 mark 

DATE	1899	1900	1901	1902	1903	1904	1905	1906	1907	1908	1909	1910	1911
LETTER	N	O	P	Q	R	S	T	U	V	W	X	Y	Z

date letter 1912-1936

(click on "yellow date" for image)

DATE	1912	1913	1914	1915	1916	1917	1918	1919	1920	1921	1922	1923	1924
LETTER	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M

see (note 9) for 1914 "C" mark
see (note 12) for 1912 "A" mark
see (note 22) for 1921 "J" mark

DATE	1925	1926	1927	1928	1929	1930	1931	1932	1933	1934	1935	1936
LETTER	N	O	P	R	S	T	U	V	W	X	Y	Z

see (note 14) for 1936 "Z" mark     see (note 17) for 1928 "R" mark       see (note 18) for 1934 mark

date letter 1937-1960

(click on "yellow date" for image)

DATE	1937	1938	1939	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945	1946	1947	1948
LETTER	A	B	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M

see (note 14) for 1939 mark

DATE	1949	1950	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955	1956	1957	1958	1959	1960
LETTER	N	O	P	R	S	T	U	V	W	X	Y	Z

see (note 19) for 1957(W) mark

date letter 1961-1986 (but production at Walsall stopped in 1968)

(click on "yellow date" for image)

DATE

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969?

1970?

LETTER

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

i

j

see (note 4) for 1970? mark

NOTES

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note 1: exceptions were found to this rule. In this page 1849(K), 1852(N), 1853(O), 1854 and 1861 marks using "&" instead of "M gothic"

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note 2: exceptions were found to this rule. In this page an example of 1865, 1881(V), 1883(X), 1884 and 1886 mark where "M gothic" is still used

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note 3: references note that the "lozenge" was used from 1849 to 1864 and mark "H in a lozenge" was never used. A little mystery is a mark with "H into a lozenge" coupled to the UK Patent Office lozenge of a model registered in 1868 (date "march 11, 1868"). Maybe this was an anomalous use of 1870 mark (letter into a lozenge instead of in a square)

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note 4: references note that production stopped in 1868. Mark "J in a circle" refers presumably to 1970 outside Walsall

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note 5: a gravy ladle with 1853 Elkington marks is punched also GJ ABD . Presumably it refers to an item retailed by George Jamison in Aberdeen

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note 6: exceptions were found to this rule. On this page examples of 1845, 1847 and 1848 date number were used together with 1841 mark

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note 7: exceptions were found to this rule. On this page examples of 1849, 1850 and 1858 date letters using 1841 mark

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note 8: a variant of 1868 mark (letter "F" into a square inside a lozenge) was found in a large plaque with mythological motif

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note 9: a variant of 1914 mark was found (slightly different shape of letter "C" incuse)

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. note 10: a variant of 1851 mark was found ("E" instead of gothic )

note 11: Elkington table of marks presented on this page is based on the information contained in:
- Victorian Electroplate, by Shirley Burly, The Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd, 1971
- Encyclopedia of American Silver Manufacturers, Dorothy T. Rainwater & Judy Redfield, Schiffer Publishing Ltd, fourth Edition, 1998
The images presented on this page document many differences compared to the reference literature, demostrating that Elkington never adopted a rigourous system of marks and the use of exceptions or discontinuous marks was a common practice for its production.

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note 12: present also retailer's mark: A.T. Wiley & Co Ld, Montreal

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note 14: present the mark of Cunard White Star

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note 15: Elkington & Co in script

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note 16: possibly a variant of 1869 date letter: "G" into a lozenge instead of into a square

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note 17: marked also Marrison Hotel

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note 18: marked also Monarchy

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note 19: possibly 1957: marked "Cassidy's '57"

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note 20: date not identified for an unusual "HP" intertwined into a lozenge mark. A suggested hypothesis is that Elkington outsourced some work to John Henry Potter of Rockingham Works, Sheffield to fulfil some large commission (possibly the contract with the Hotel Cecil in London which was being built in 1896)

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note 21: date unknown for an unusual "F" into a lozenge mark found on a napkin ring

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note 22: mark's incuse of different shape

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ELKINGTON MARKS "PARADE" (click on photo to enlarge image)

ELKINGTON HISTORY
Elkington & Co. are one of the most important names in English silver and certainly the most important in silver plate. They began life in Birmingham as a company of silversmiths in 1836, and experimented with improving gilding techniques. By 1838 they had discovered and patented a new way to electroplate one metal on to the surface of another. By 1840 production was already underway with silver electroplated wares. The company received financial backing from Josiah Mason in 1842 (renaming the firm Elkington, Mason & Co between 1842 and 1861) and was extremely successful. It introduced electrotyping as a new method of production for silver plated items. Elkington & Co exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851 with enormous success.
  In 1885 Elkington registered designs by Christopher Dresser. Dresser's designs included tea services, sugar bowls, claret jugs, kettles, cruet stands, baskets, a tureen and a tankard. His models are recorded in Elkington's silver and plated ware pattern-books.
Elkington held Royal Warrants for Queen Victoria, King Edward VI, King George V, King Edward VIII and King George VI. The Elkington & Co. name is still in use today as manufacturers under the auspices of British Silverware Ltd.

 

ELKINGTON AT THE 1851 GREAT EXHIBITION

Elkington partecipated in the Metalware section of the 1851 Great Exhibition held in Hyde Park in London in the specially constructed Crystal Palace.
These are images of Elkington production exhibited at Crystal Palace obtained from "The Art Journal illustrated catalogue. The industry of all nations 1851. London, George Virtue, 1851"

 

 

alphabetical glossary of electroplate and silver plate makers' hallmarks

A - E

F - I

J - J

L - S

T - Z

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Elkington	Fabergé	Georg Jensen	Gorham	Tiffany & Co	WMF	Reed & Barton	Mappin & Webb	Bateman	Wiener Werkstatte

BRITISH SILVER MAKERS: MARKS, HISTORY AND INFORMATION

E. Barnard & Sons	Wakely & Wheeler	Asprey & Co	Barker Brothers	Elkington	Mappin & Webb	Bateman	Walker & Hall	Garrard & Co Ltd

work in progress on this page - your help, corrections and suggestions will be greatly appreciated -