THE DIRECTORY OF CANADA SILVERSMITHS
MARKS AND HALLMARKS OF CANADIAN SILVER


created by Giorgio B. owner of
www.silvercollection.it © English home page 		versione italiana page d'accueil en francais
This is a page of A Small Collection of Antique Silver and Objects of vertu, a 1500 pages richly illustrated website offering all you need to know about antique silver, sterling silver, silverplate, sheffield plate, electroplate silver, silverware, flatware, tea services and tea complements, marks and hallmarks, silver marking system and silver hallmarks guide, articles, books, auction catalogs, famous silversmiths (Tiffany, Gorham, Jensen, Elkington, WMF, Reed & Barton, Mappin & Webb, Bateman Family),
SITE MAP - HOME PAGE
CANADA SILVERSMITHS - ALPHABETICAL LISTING: A


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
ACME SILVER CO. (THE)
Acme Silver Company - Toronto, Ontario, Canada Acme Silver Company - Toronto, Ontario, Canada Acme Silver Company - Toronto, Ontario, Canada Acme Silver Company - Toronto, Ontario, Canada		 Toronto, Ontario
c. 1880s/1893. Succeeded in 1893 by Acme Silver Co


ADDISON Charles
 C.A.
Ottawa, Ontario
c. 1880s/1890s
Touch mark acquired by Henry Birks & Sons
AGNEW James
James Agnew, Toronto, Ontario, Canada		 J.A in a rectangle and pseudo lion passant
Saint John, New Brunswick
c. 1830s/1850s
ALLAN THOMAS & CO
 TA or TA&Co into a rectangle and pseudo English duty mark
Montreal, Quebec
c. 1840s/1900s
ALLEN C. & J.
 C.&J. ALLEN
Toronto, Ontario
c. 1870s/1880s
Touch mark acquired by Henry Birks & Sons


ALLEN Josiah
 J.A.in a rectangle
Halifax, Nova Scotia
c. 1780s
T. ALLEN & Co.
 T A & CO
Toronto, Ontario
c. 1860s/1900s
Touch mark acquired by Henry Birks & Sons
AMIOT JEAN NICOLAS
Amiot Jean Nicolas - Quebec City, Quebec, Canada Amiot Jean Nicolas - Quebec City, Quebec, Canada		 IA
I.A
Quebec City, Quebec
c. 1750s/1820s
AMIOT Laurent
Amiot Laurent - Quebec City, Quebec, Canada Amiot Laurent - Quebec City, Quebec, Canada Amiot Laurent - Quebec City, Quebec, Canada Amiot Laurent - Quebec City, Quebec, Canada Amiot Laurent - Quebec City, Quebec, Canada		 L.A into an oval
L.A into an rectangle
LA into an oval
L.A into an oval and pseudo duty mark
Quebec City, Quebec
Laurent Amiot (1764-1839) He likely began his apprenticeship in his brother's shop around 1780. He became the first 18th Century Canadian silversmith to study in Paris, working in the French capital between 1782 and 1787. Amiot had several apprentices including Francois Sasseville, Pierre Lesperance and Paul Morin.
ANDERSON Robert
 Windsor, Nova Scotia
c. 1810s


ARMS & QUIGLEY
 Toronto, Ontario
c. 1880s
ARNOLDI Charles
Arnoldi Charles, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Arnoldi Charles, Montreal, Quebec, Canada		 C.A in script
Montreal, Quebec
active 1779/1817
ARNOLDI John Peter
Arnoldi John Peter, Montreal, Quebec, Canada		 P.A and MONTREAL into two rectangles
Montreal, Quebec
c. 1770s/1800s
ARNOLDI Michael
Arnoldi Michael, Montreal, Quebec, Canada		 MA and MONTREAL into two rectangles
M.A and MONTREAL into two rectangles
Montreal, Quebec
c. 1760s/1800s



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

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