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User:Lar/ToDo/Makers mark

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This page is about the mark on the bottom of worked items. For the distillery in Kentucky, see Maker's Mark.
Makers mark on holloware sugar bowl, showing company and place of manufacture
Makers mark on Drip-O-lator ceramic coffee pot showing company, place of manufacture, and applicable patents

A makers mark or maker's mark is the marking placed at the bottom of a worked piece by the person or company that created it to show origin. Originally symbolic, modern marks may consist entirely of words and letters. Often the date is included, or some letters or codes to indicate manufacturing details may be included.

Makers marks appeared on a wide variety of manufactured items although are primarily found on metal, glass and ceramic objects, especially those intended for food related uses.

History

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Candlestick makers mark of Robert Cooper, UK, ca. 1680

Historically, there have been a number of regulations about whether symbols can be used, what sort of symbols can be used by what organizations, and so forth. The potential for fraud, forgery, base metals used instead of fine, shortweighting and the like made this a subject for government interest from early days

One of the first known regulations in Europe was by King Edward III of England who, in 1363, ordered that:

"each Master Goldsmith shall have a mark unto himself, and which mark shall be known by those who shall be assigned by the King to supervise their works and allay."[1]

Initially, the marks were typically a representation of the smith's shop sign, or a pun in rebus form of the smith's name. However, by the 17th century it was more common to see initials with symbols, although this varied, for example, the Huguenot smiths generally followed French custom using fleur-de-lis marks with initials.

http://books.google.com/books?id=aIgMAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA3&dq=makers+mark&lr=&as_brr=1#PPR1,M1 chronological order of acts. Hall Marks on Gold and Silver Plate By William Chaffers


http://freespace.virgin.net/a.data/frames/index.htm or http://freespace.virgin.net/a.data/makers.htm (unframed)



http://www.instappraisal.com/searchinstappraisal.php?query=lettering

http://freespace.virgin.net/a.data/makers.htm


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The presence or absence of marks can sometimes be used to determine if a piece has been counterfeited or reproduced, but that is not a sure determinant as sometimes the makers marks are also copied.

Example UK hallmarks, makers mark is the rightmost symbol ("ab")

Makers marks are related to hallmarks (which assert the purity or quality of an alloy used) but may carry more specific manufacturing information, and may not carry alloy information at all. In other cases, the makers mark can be part of a more complex hallmark as in the illustration.

Note: use this link to find places that ref the term that need to be inlinked: http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&as_qdr=all&q=%22makers+mark%22+site%3Aen.wikipedia.org&btnG=Search

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The Maker's Mark distillery and brand of bourbon/whisky takes its name from the concept of marking worked items, and the packaging features a wax seal.

References

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  1. ^ Schechter, Frank I. (1999). The Historical Foundations of the Law Relating to Trade-Marks. The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. p. 59. ISBN 158477035X.
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