William Yeoward Sterling Silverware is made in Sheffield, England, the home of English cutlery for more than 500 years. Designed in the traditional English Taste and made to the highest standards of quality, these patterns have been named after 6 of the most beautiful Country Houses of England, to reflect the historical importance and long tradition of English Silvermaking.

THE IMPORTANCE OF HALLMARKING

Since the end of the 12th Century, the craft of silversmithing in England has been rigorously controlled by Acts of Parliament to protect the quality of the silver. It was in the year 1300 that Hall Marking was instituted by Statute during the reign of King Edward I and it has continued with unbroken authority since that time. It is for this reason that English Hallmarked Sterling Silver is so respected by collectors throughout the world.

Hall Marking was one of the earliest forms of consumer protection and even today guarantees that a piece of Sterling Silver conforms to the minimum standards of purity, that is 925 parts of pure silver per 1000.

In the United Kingdom there are 4 testing offices known as Assay Offices, which were established by Royal Charter or Act of Parliament and these are situated in Sheffield, Birmingham, London and Edinburgh.

Before it can be given the Hall Mark, every individual piece of William Yeoward Sterling is taken to the Sheffield Assay Office where a small sample is taken and assayed for purity; only after this can the piece receive the Hall Mark which is pressed into the silver with a steel die.

THE HALL MARK CONSISTS OF 4 ELEMENTS:

1. The Sponsor’s Mark, usually the initials of the maker, in this case WY for William Yeoward.
2. The International Quality Mark. This is seen as the number 925, signifying that the silver has been found to be 92.5% pure.
3. The Assay Office Mark. Each Assay Office has its own mark, the symbol for Sheffield being a Rose.
4. The British Quality Mark. This is seen as a Lion Passant. This mark signifies that the silver has been found to be 92.5% pure.