Selling silver

turnedlight · May 15, 2008, 05:32:54 PM

Quote from: Shirley on May 15, 2008, 05:04:57 PM
If they cost a fair bit to make then presumably the cost of hallmarking would be worth it, then?

Sorry Shirley, I know I don't sound logical, but we're talking two or three items in four or five months at the most! I didn't mean to sound like a big whingebucket

Shirley · May 15, 2008, 09:53:25 PM

Quote from: turnedlight on May 15, 2008, 05:32:54 PM
Quote from: Shirley on May 15, 2008, 05:04:57 PM
If they cost a fair bit to make then presumably the cost of hallmarking would be worth it, then?
Sorry Shirley, I know I don't sound logical, but we're talking two or three items in four or five months at the most! I didn't mean to sound like a big whingebucket

Er, not sure why you thought I thought you were whinging

Shirley · May 17, 2008, 07:57:59 AM

Please don't get confused if an item is stamped 925. All this means is that the maker is saying that is it sterling quality. It isn't a hallmark.

I really want to sell some of the larger Thai pendants in my shop, but they are way over the weight. Guess I might look into getting them hallmarked.

turnedlight · May 17, 2008, 09:09:46 AM

Quote from: Shirley on May 15, 2008, 09:53:25 PM
Quote from: turnedlight on May 15, 2008, 05:32:54 PM
Quote from: Shirley on May 15, 2008, 05:04:57 PM
If they cost a fair bit to make then presumably the cost of hallmarking would be worth it, then?
Sorry Shirley, I know I don't sound logical, but we're talking two or three items in four or five months at the most! I didn't mean to sound like a big whingebucket

Er, not sure why you thought I thought you were whinging

Sorry 'bout that

I just can't justify the costs.. and I was feeling annoyed that I can't see a way around it! After what I've spent in the last couple of weeks, there's no way I'll be able to do this for a while!

turnedlight · July 03, 2009, 02:12:33 PM

Just reopening this, I bought some thai silver bracelets from the netherlands to put my beads on, they are unfortunately over the weight so I presume I can't sell them on.
However, do you think it would be alright to display my beads on them and just say the bracelet's not for sale?
Also, I have made lots of pmc small beads, and want to display them all together on a bracelet, giving an example total price, do you reckon this will be ok as each bead is a separate price, and it would be up to the customer how many they buy?

I'm so cheesed off that these lovely thai bracelets are too heavy..

Helen G · July 03, 2009, 02:35:25 PM

Someone please shout if I'm wrong but the way I understand it is:

You can sell anything you like, regardless of weight and hallmark but unless it has a genuine UK hallmark you are not able to market it as "Sterling Silver"

Turnedlight, you can market your bracelets as "Thai Silver" as they are, but not "Sterling" unless you get them hallmarked.

I am registered with the Sheffield Assay Office but don't send very much off to them these days as the beads are my first love and all my silversmithing has kinda gone out the window!

Hope this helps

turnedlight · July 03, 2009, 02:43:14 PM

'It is an offence under the Hallmarking Act to describe unhallmarked articles as being made totally or partly of gold, silver or platinum or, supply or offer to supply an article that is made of gold, silver or platinum which has not been hallmarked.'

I read the second part as saying that you can't even sell it if you say it's thai silver, not silver, or sterling or whatever.

I really hope I'm wrong, but I don't think so..

Helen G · July 03, 2009, 05:42:37 PM

Oops, pretty sure you're right Kathryn having read the act!
I'm gonna keep my big gob shut

Interestingly though I called The Sheffield Assay office and pressed the number for hallmarking enquiries and the person on the phone didn't know!!!!

turnedlight · July 03, 2009, 07:19:13 PM

but then there's this..

UK Hallmarking Act

'Current hallmarking requirements come under the UK Hallmarking Act 1973 and subsequent amendments. The Act is built around the principle of description, where it is an offence for any person to apply to an unhallmarked article a description indicating that it is wholly or partly made of gold, silver or platinum. There is an exemption by weight: compulsory hallmarks are not needed on gold under 1g, silver under 7.78g and platinum under 0.5g. Also, some descriptions are permissible, such as rolled gold and gold plate.'

This one backs you up Helen..

jammie · July 03, 2009, 07:21:18 PM

I spoke to the Edinburgh assay office recently and the man I spoke to was really helpful and answered all my questions really clearly.
He said if a piece is fine silver thai silver or sterling or a mix of those on an item they test all the silver (with you sending it as a mixed item) and they mark at what the overall lowest silver content is, so if a piece is mostly fine silver with a sterling clasp then it would be marked as sterling as that is the lowest silver content.
You weigh the piece without the beads and that is the total weight of it.
You can sell it without a mark but yes it has to be called white metal and not claimed to be silver if it is over a certain weight 7.78 grammes and not hallmarked
You choose and buy a makers mark which is what traces the item to you the maker and identifies the maker
the crown hallmark is added and the silver content ie 925
the cost was when I called, about 47.00 to register for 10 years , makers mark punch 55.00, cost of items about 10.00 but this gets less when you have more items .
they were really nice I copied down these notes and am pretty sure this is all right but a phone call will clarify anything!
Sorry if I'm repeating whats already been said, its just that i had checked all this out recently and found the guy I spoke to really knowledgeable and easy to speak to and thought I could pass it on

Helen G · July 03, 2009, 07:33:18 PM

mmmmmmmmmmm all very interesting, the lady that didn't know when I rang the assay office said she'd get someone that did to call me on Monday....will report the outcome

turnedlight · July 03, 2009, 07:39:13 PM

Thank you so much - I'm very happy with this bit

'You can sell it without a mark but yes it has to be called white metal and not claimed to be silver if it is over a certain weight 7.78 grammes and not hallmarked'

As I can now take my bracelets to sell, as long as I don't claim them to be silver.

Lottie · July 03, 2009, 10:33:03 PM

And ..... if you are selling hallmarked items, you have to display one of the Assay Office's hallmark notices, you can only get them from the Assay Offices and cannot use a photocopy. They cost £10.

jammie · July 03, 2009, 10:38:06 PM

Ahhh, Lottie , are these large poster size displaying info about hallmarks, I saw these at the last craft fair (my first craft fair) I was at, i wondered why people had them. I wasn't selling weighty enough silver for it to matter at the time.

mizgeorge · July 04, 2009, 09:59:04 AM

Just to add (an extra complication) you can only not describe items as silver (sterling, argentium or fine) in writing. If you tell somebody verbally, apparently it's OK.

I wish trading standards would spend a bit more time targeting unscrupulous ebay sellers rather than tormenting small scale artisans to be honest.