Silver Mounted Sgian Dubhs
Silver, gold, and platinum must be assayed and
independently hallmarked by one of the four approved UK Assay Offices to
guarantee the quality of precious metal before it can be sold to the public. The
Assay Office in Edinburgh, the only one in Scotland, is an independent,
privately funded business, owned by the Incorporation of Goldsmiths of the City
of Edinburgh.
Genuine Silver Hallmarked in Edinburgh. All
three sgian dubhs have the Edinburgh Hallmark . Each hallmark tells its own
story through a series of individual marks within the hallmark. The first of
which is usually the Sponsor's mark. This mark lets the buyer or the collector
know who made the piece or more commonly who submitted the piece to be
hallmarked. A Sponsor's mark or Maker's mark is made up of at least 2 initials
combined with a shape which surrounds the initials. The initials of the person
or the company applying for registration are normally combined with one of the
punch surround shapes available to make up a unique Sponsor's mark.