Marks of deception: tackling fakes & forgeries in antique British silver

Hallmarking is one of the world's oldest forms of consumer protection – a guarantee to those buying and selling items made of precious metals that they have been expertly tested, and that the marks they bear truthfully reveal their composition – a proud responsibility of the Goldsmiths’ Company since 1327. But where you have systems designed to protect buyers and sellers, you will also find those intent on acts of deception - cunning artificers, who create fakes and forgeries, not just of the objects, but of the hallmarks themselves. Explore the world of fakes and forgeries in antique British Silver, and get hands-on experience with objects from the London Assay Office’s Fakes & Forgeries Collection under the expert guidance of GHAC members.