A Note on Hallmarks

On the underside of most pieces, you will find Gorham’s hallmarks as well as other markings that may seem a little cryptic at first. On pieces made prior to approximately 1950, you will see the familiar “Lion – Anchor - G”, which was Gorham’s hallmark. The Lion is a variation of the British hallmark for sterling, the anchor is representative of Rhode Island (where Gorham was founded) and the G stands for Gorham.

You may also see a weight mark. These marks stand for the weight of a dozen of the items and not for the weight of an individual piece. The weight marks (from lightest to heaviest) are:


T - Trade - 9 troy ounces per dozen teaspoons
E - Extra - 10 Troy oz. per 12 teaspoons
No Mark - Regular - 12 Troy oz. per 12 teaspoons
H - Heavy - 14 Troy oz. per 12 teaspoons
M - Massive - 15 Troy oz. per 12 teaspoons

Jewlers were also known to impress their name onto the back of pieces, so if you see a name stamped on the back, it is most likely the jewler who sold the piece.

Starting around 1950, Gorham changed their hallmarks to just "Gorham Sterling". In order for customers to more easily distinguish the sizes, Gorham added a P in a diamond to represent a place size piece.