THE DIRECTORY OF CANADA SILVERSMITHS
MARKS AND HALLMARKS OF CANADIAN SILVER


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CANADA SILVERSMITHS - ALPHABETICAL LISTING: W - X


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.
Benjamin Etter, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada F.S. QUEBEC F.S mark, Francois Sasseville, Quebec 1797-1864
By the early 19th century it was common to include pseudo marks that resembled British hallmarks, like sovereign's heads, lions, crowns.
F.M. and English pseudo-hallmarks mark, Franz F. Meyer, Halifax - Nova Scotia 1809-1847 IM NB and English pseudo hallmarks mark, John Munro, New Glasgow - New Brunswick 1813-1864
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)
Canada National mark 1934-1978 Canada National mark after 1978

(click on the photo to enlarge image)


SILVERSMITH'S NAME
MARK - TOWN - DATE
WAGSTAFF & CULVER
Wagstaff & Culver, Ontario, Canada		 W.&.C. into a serrated rectangle
Ontario
c. 1820
WALKER Nelson
Nelson Walker, Montreal, Quebec, Canada		 NW into a rectangle and pseudo English hallmarks
Montreal, Quebec
c. 1840
WALKER William S.
 William S. Walker, Montreal, Canada		 WALKER or W.S.W or W.W
Montreal, Quebec
c. 1850s/1890
Touch mark acquired by Henry Birks & Sons
WALLACE & BALCOM
 Halifax, Nova Scotia
c. 1870s
WANLESS John
 J.W in a rectangle and pseudo English hallmark
JOHN WANLESS & CO
WANLESS
Toronto, Ontario
c. 1830s/1900s
Touch mark acquired by Henry Birks & Sons
WARE D.T. & Co
 London, Ontario
c. 1850a
WARE T.P. & Co
 Hamilton, Ontario
c. 1850s
WARLOCK Daniel O.L.
Daniel O.L. Warlock, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada 		D.W. and NB into two rectangles and pseudo English hallmark
Saint John, New Brunswick
c. 1820s/1880s
WARREN G.
 G.WARREN
Toronto, Ontario
c. 1880s
Touch mark acquired by Henry Birks & Sons


WATSON
 WATSON
Montreal, Quebec
c. 1870s
Touch mark acquired by Henry Birks & Sons
WATSON & PELTON
 W.&P.M
Montreal, Quebec
c. 1880s
Touch mark acquired by Henry Birks & Sons
WELCH & TROWERN
 WELCH & TROWERN
Toronto, Ontario
c. 1880s
WHISTON David Hudson
 DHW in a rectangle and pseudo English hallmarks
DW in a rectangle and pseudo English hallmarks
Halifax, Nova Scotia
b. 1834 - d.1917
WHITE & SON T.
 Toronto, Ontario
active at 12, Melinda Street, later, 39, King Street West, Toronto, c. 1880s
WILKES R. & CO
R. Wilkes & Co, Montreal, Quebec, Canada		 R.W.&CO
Montreal, Quebec
c. 1880s
Wholesale jeweller, and dealer in watches, clocks, fancy goods and electro-plated ware succeding in 1858 to M. Rossin & Brother. Opened warehouses and offices in Toronto, Montreal, London and New York. Touch mark acquired by Henry Birks & Sons
WILLIAMSON J.B.
 J.B.W
Montreal, Quebec
c. 1880s
Touch mark acquired by Henry Birks & Sons
WINDRUM S.B.
S.B. Windrum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada		 S.B.W
Toronto, Ontario
c. 1880s
Touch mark acquired by Henry Birks & Sons
WITAM George
 G.W. in a rectangle and pseudo English hallmarks
Halifax, Nova Scotia
c. 1820s/1870s
WOLHAUPTER Benjamin
 B.W. in a rectangle
Fredericton, New Brunswick
c. 1771 - 1857
WOOD John & Son
John Wood & Son, Montreal, Quebec, Canada John Wood & Son, Montreal, Quebec, Canada		 JW&S into a rectangle and English pseudo hallmarks
Montreal, Quebec
c. 1844s/1870



HALLMARKS OF ENGLISH SILVER - MAKER'S MARK IDENTIFICATION
ALPHABETICAL LISTING
OF SILVERSMITHS' NAMES		 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
THE DIRECTORY OF CAPE SILVERSMITHS A - C D - I J - M N - T U - Z
THE DIRECTORY OF CHANNEL ISLANDS SILVERSMITHS A - F G - H I - P Q - Z unidentified makers
AUSTRALIAN SILVERSMITHS A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z NOT IDENTIFIED
BRITISH TOWN MARKS AND DATE LETTERS

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