P. J. F. Gantillon, B.A.
Mr. Taylor will find in Pegge's Anonymiana, Cent. i. 38., and Cent. vii. 95., allusion to what he inquires after.
Thos. Lawrence.
GOLDSMITHS' YEAR-MARKS.
(Vol. vi., p. 604.)
In answer to Mr. Livett's Query, as to the marks or letters employed by the Goldsmiths' Company to denote the year in which the plate was "hall-marked," I subjoin a list of such as I am acquainted with, and which might with a little trouble be traced to an earlier period: I have also added a few notes relating to the subject generally, which may interest many of your readers.
In the year 1596, the Roman capital A was used; in 1597, B; and so on alphabetically for twenty years, which would bring us to the letter U, denoting the year 1615: the alphabet finishing every twenty years with the letter U or V. The next year, 1616, commences with the Old English letter
, and is continued for another twenty years in the Old English capitals. In 1636 is introduced another alphabet, called Court alphabet.