It is not widely known that Australia ever had a hallmarking system. Reference is briefly made in J.P. de Castro’s work: The Law and practice of Hallmarking Gold and Silver wares (1926 and 1935) and in a few specialised texts on Australian jewellery such as Australian Jewellery – 19th and early 20th century by Schofield and Fahy (1990) and Australian Jewellers by Cavil, Cox and Grace (1992). Now published for the first time, is the archival material giving the background to the operations and workings of Australia’s short lived hallmarking system, and reproductions of the marks registered and used by the gold and silversmiths.
This fully indexed and illustrated publication includes an introductory essay on the life and times of silver and gold marking in Australia - as well as discussing the reasons for its demise. The Company ceased operating in 1940.
There has been an overall attempt to reproduce as much of the archival material as possible in its original size. The mood of the original ledger and its contents has been retained without any claims to its being a facsimile.