Silver Case
Hallmarks
The hallmarks
found on William Bent watch cases are the most reliable means to determine the
age of the timepiece.
www.925-1000.com/british_marks.html
is a great reference site for deciphering English Silver symbols, date letter codes
and maker’s marks.
Here we examine the silver hallmarks on two watches.
Here we examine the silver hallmarks on two watches.
William Bent Serial # 13285
William Bent Serial # 12635
The hallmarks photographed here read as follows:
The hallmarks photographed here read as follows:
The Silver
Standard Mark – the lion passant (walking lion) indicates that the solid silver
case has been tested and is at least 92.5% pure silver. This is the purity mark
for British Sterling Silver.
The City Mark – the leopard’s head indicates the case was tested at the London Assay
Office.
(The
majority of leopard’s head marks are so worn they look to me like a skull and
crossbones – however
the second watch displayed here shows an almost mint mark on watch #12635)
The Date
Letter – lower case “r” for 1872 on watch #13285 and lower case “q” for 1871 on
#12635.
The date
letters can be read from the chart:
The Maker’s
Mark – “R.O” (not “B.O”) is for Richard Oliver, silver watch case maker, Galway
Street, operating in St Luke’s, London 1864-1873 (registered 1859) www.silvermakersmarks.co.uk
The Serial
Number – William Bent watches so far discovered have serial numbers ranging from 8631 to 18410 (View them in the Catalogue). Numbers are sequential, but I don't think they started at #1.
Matching serial numbers appear in five places on a William Bent watch: twice on the case; on the dial; on the movement and on the dust cover.
Matching serial numbers appear in five places on a William Bent watch: twice on the case; on the dial; on the movement and on the dust cover.
