Guide to Silvermarks of the World

Book excerpt: This handbook will enable collectors & dealers to trace the hallmarks on silver objects from over 30 countries. Starting from the letters or symbols constituting the mark, the reader can quickly identify the country & town of origin, the date when the mark was used & often the purity of the silver. Illustrates & explains nearly 2,000 marks arranged in alphabetical order -- numerals, human figures, mammals, birds, plants, heavenly bodies, etc., so that any of the marks can be easily found. The introduction describes the various systems in force in each country since the first known records. Bibliography .