If British silver hallmarks are a set of rigorous laws, then German silver hallmarks are a history of “From Chaos to Unity”.
Before 1888, various German city-states (Hamburg, Berlin, Augsburg) had their own marks. But after 1888, the German Empire implemented a unified hallmark system. As long as you remember “Crescent and Crown”, you know 90% of old German silverware.
👑 1. Imperial Mark (Reichsmark)
If you see these two symbols combined at the bottom of silverware, it must be made in Germany after 1888:
- 🌙 Crescent Moon: Represents silver.
- 👑 Imperial Crown: Represents the German Empire.
These two symbols usually appear side by side, followed closely by the purity number.
⚖️ 2. Purity: The Rule of 800
Unlike the British sticking to “925 Sterling”, Germans are more pragmatic. The standard purity of German silverware is 800/1000.
- 800: Most common. High hardness, suitable for making large tea sets, candlesticks and pierced fruit baskets.
- 830 / 835: Also relatively common, mostly used for daily silverware.
- 925 (Sterling): Although it exists, it is rare, usually used for export or modern jewelry.
Q’s Collection View: Don’t look down on it just because “800” has low silver content. The craftsmanship of German silversmiths in Pierced Work and Figure Relief is often more complex and decorative than British silverware of the same period.
🦊 3. Hanau Silver: Beautiful “Liar”
In German silver collection, there is a special category called Hanau Silver. Hanau is a city where a group of top silversmiths gathered (such as Neresheimer, Schleissner).
- Characteristics: They are good at imitation. They would imitate French Rococo style, Dutch antique silver, and even forge hallmarks.
- Pseudo-Hallmarks: You might see marks on a Hanau silver box that look like French fleur-de-lis or British lions, but look closely and they are not quite right. This is called “Fantasy Mark”.
- Value: Although the mark is “fake”, the craftsmanship of Hanau silver is excellent and the artistic value is extremely high. In the auction market, it is often more expensive than regular silverware.
🏭 4. Famous Brands
- Koch & Bergfeld: Top silver factory in Bremen, mainly making Art Nouveau style (Jugendstil) tableware.
- Wilkens & Söhne: Long history, famous for exquisite pierced dessert servers.
- Lutz & Weiss: Jewelry and silverware merchant in Pforzheim, often making exquisite small items.
Next time you see “800” and a small moon, don’t hesitate, that is the proof of the solid and durable German craftsmanship.
