THE DIRECTORY OF CANADA SILVERSMITHS
MARKS AND HALLMARKS OF CANADIAN SILVER
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CANADA SILVERSMITHS - ALPHABETICAL LISTING: H |
There was no official regulation of the purity of the metal used in the industry in Canada until the early 20th century.
After 1760 Montreal gradually took over as the center of silversmithing in Canada although there were also a number of silversmiths in Ontario and the Atlantic provinces. English styles became the norm and silversmiths began to use English-style maker's marks with their initials in a rectangular outline. These marks were occasionally accompanied by "Montreal", "Quebec" or "H", "HN" or "HNS" for Halifax.
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By the early 19th century it was common to include pseudo marks that resembled British hallmarks, like sovereign's heads, lions, crowns.
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The current Canadian hallmarking system is based on the Precious Metals Marking Act of 1985. Jewellery makers, importers and retailers are responsible for having the correct hallmarks on items. Hallmarks must be registered by the Register of Trademarks, Industry Canada in which abbreviations and inscriptions for jewellery items in either English or French are permitted.
For silver items, "sterling" (92.5% silver and 7.5% other alloys ) is considered the standard measurement for purity under federal regulations. Authentic sterling silver items are stamped with "STERLING", "STER", or "925". Hallmarks that follow the traditional British certifying system or has applied by the government of any foreign country under the laws of that country may also be placed on the item.
Where an article that is wholly manufactured in Canada is composed of a precious metal of a quality prescribed in the regulations and has an authorized quality mark applied to it, there may be applied to the article a national mark consisting of:
- a lion's head inside a letter "C"( (1934-1978)
- a maple head inside a letter "C" (after 1978)
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(click on the photo to enlarge image)
SILVERSMITH'S NAME
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MARK - TOWN - DATE
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HALL George A. |
Halifax, Nova Scotia c. 1830 |
HALLIDAY L.
 |
LH into a rectangle and lion facing right
Montreal, Quebec c. 1850 |
HAMMAN Thomas
 |
T.HAMMAN in a shaped contour
Halifax, Nova Scotia c. 1770s/1830s |
HANNA & DELAGRAVE
 |
JH in script and F.D in two rectangles
Quebec City, Quebec c. 1810s |
HANNA James Godfrey
 |
I.H (or H.I) into a rectangle and lion pseudo English hallmark
Quebec City, Quebec c. 1760s/1800s
Born in Dublin (Ireland) in 1737, emigrated to Quebec in 1763. Died in Quebec in 1807. |
HARDY Anselme
 |
A.H in a rectangle and pseudo English lion passant hallmark
Quebec City, Quebec c. 1850s |
HARIS E.B.
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Montreal, Quebec c. 1880s |
HARPER J.R. & CO
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J.R.H. & CO
Ottawa, Ontario c. 1880s/1890s
Touch mark acquired by Henry Birks & Sons |
HARWOOD Arthur
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Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1870s |
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HAY Albert Stephen
 |
A.S. HAY. in a rectangle and pseudo English hallmarks
Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1850s/1860s |
HAY A&J
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A & J HAY in a rectangle and pseudo English hallmarks
Partnership of Albert Stephen Hay and John Hay
Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1870s/1920s |
HEMMING MANUFACTURING CO
 |
HEMMING MONTREAL and CH intertwined
Montreal, Quebec c. 1910s |
HEMSLEY Richard
 |
R H in a banner
Montreal, Quebec 1870 - present. The firm claims to be a direct descendant of Richard Hemsley store founded in 1870 ceasing its production of enamelled sterling souvenir jewellery aound 1930. |
HENDERY Robert





 |
R.H or R.HENDERY MONTREAL and pseudo English hallmarks
Montreal, Quebec b. 1814 - d. 1897
In partnership with Peter Bohle (1837-1840), had his own business from 1840 to 1887 supplying silver to many other firms (George Savage &
Son, Gustavus Seifert, M S Brown & Co, Julius Cornelius). From 1887 was in partnership with Johm Leslie. |
HENDERY & LESLIE
 |
H & L and pseudo English hallmarks
or H & L STERLING
Montreal, Quebec 1887-1899
Partnership of Robert Hendery and John Leslie. The partnership was dissolved in 1895 and the business was sold to Birks in 1899. HB &Co is Henry Birks acting as retailer |
HERBIN John Frederic
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a fleur de lys
Wolfville, Nova Scotia c. 1870s/1920s |
HERSEY John A
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J.A.H. in a rectangle
Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1820s/1860s |
HILL & HOUGHTON
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Toronto, Ontario c. 1880s |
HOSTERMAN & PARKER
 |
H & P in a rectangle and pseudo English hallmarks
Halifax, Nova Scotia c. 1810s |
HOSTERMAN Thomas
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TH in a rectangle
Halifax, Nova Scotia c. 1810s |
HOUGHTON SILVERWARE AND PLATING LTD
 |
H and Canada National mark
Toronto, Ontario founded by Emerson Houghton in 1920. Specialized in ecclesiastical pieces in sterling, silverplate and brass. Houghton died in 1965, but the business was active until the late 1980S |
HUGUET Pierre dit Latour
 |
P.H into a rectangle and MONTREAL
Montreal, Quebec c. 1750-1815 |
HULL E.
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Quebec City, Quebec c. 1850s |
HULSMAN Louis
 |
LH in a rectangle and pseudo English hallmarks
Halifax, Nova Scotia c. 1810s |
HUNT William
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Halifax, Nova Scotia c. 1810s |
HUNTER William
 |
W.H in a rectangle and pseudo English marks WH in a rectangle and pseudo English marks
Quebec City, Quebec c. 1800s |
HURD Benjamin
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BH in a rectangle
B.HURD in a rectangle
Halifax, Nova Scotia c. 1740s |
HURD Nathaniel
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Halifax, Nova Scotia c. 1770s |
HUTCHINSON John G
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HUTCHINSON over ST.JOHN N.B or GH in a rectangle
Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1820s/1860s |
HALLMARKS OF ENGLISH SILVER -
MAKER'S MARK IDENTIFICATION
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BRITISH TOWN MARKS AND DATE LETTERS
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work in progress on this page - your help, corrections and suggestions will be greatly appreciated -
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