1) Is Marks4Silver.com secure?
2) Does it work on a PC or Mac?
3) How does this service work?
4) What other ways are available to identify a mark?
5) What happens if I can't find a mark?
6) Why is Marks4Silver.com better than books?
7) Can I access this service away from home or office?
8) Can I use this service to distinguish authentic antiques from reproductions?
9) Once I have identified a mark, what do I need to do?
1) Is Marks4Silver.com secure?
We are located in the San Francisco Bay area and are registered in the State of California, USA, since 2004.
We accept all major Credit Cards and membership fees are made exclusively through
PayPal and
2CheckOut
secure systems only. No private or personal details are available to
us at any time.
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2) Does it work on a PC or Mac?
All of our services and features work on any computer or laptop or other
portable or mobile device, cell phone etc, regardless of Browser, Model, Platform or Version. There
are no special requirements or need for additional software to make it work.
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3) How does this service work?
Our Gallery Search is our main method to research Jewelry & Silver or Metal ware marks. It is
an album with images of marks or hallmarks on Silver, Silverplate, Jewelry, Precious
Metal items, Clocks or Watches, Pewter, and other Metal-ware. All
marks are divided in Shape or Letter Categories according to their shape. Simply compare your mark to
our images at a glance to find it. This is the easiest and fastest method to identify a mark - see our
How it Works page for examples.
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4) What other ways are available to identify a mark?
In addition to our Gallery Search (see # 3 above), we have also included a special and proprietary
NAME SEARCH. Just type in the name of a Silversmith or Jeweler or company to see images of all
their marks and any Trade or Brand names they may have used displayed on the same page. Additionally, an
advanced
INITIALS SEARCH can find all makers' marks that used initials. Even if you can't make out one or more of the letters, you
can substitute it with a question mark and our
INITIALS SEARCH will find all
marks of possible combinations.
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5) What happens if I can't find my mark?
If your mark is not included in our database or you have doubts, there is a link for members to
send us a question. Our specialists will research your mark and reply within 3 business days at no extra cost.
As a registered member, you can send us questions as many times and as frequently as you wish
-
see examples
.
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6) Why is Marks4Silver.com better than books?
Cost: There are several books available that contain some common Silver & Jewelry
marks and cost $30 or less. Specialized books are also available for specific countries or
styles and cost upwards of $70 each. These books can be heavy and hard to use, especially
when traveling. In contrast, our service requires a flat membership fee and contains
more than 12,000 unique Jewelry & Silver marks from all countries and all periods at your fingertips - literally!!
Peace of mind: If your mark is not included in a book, it is nearly
impossible to contact the author to ask questions or advice.
As a member of our service, if your mark is not included in our database, you can
contact our specialists and receive an answer at no extra cost - see # 5
above. It's like having an expert on retainer...
Always current: It took us several years to put this site together
and we are constantly adding more marks. This is especially important for marks on recent items or pseudo-marks.
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7) Can I access this service away from home or office?
Yes, this is one of the unique advantages of our service. Unlike books that you will have to carry
with you, you can access our services on any computer or laptop or device connected to the Internet
at any time, 24/7. This includes PCs in Hotels, an Internet Cafe, a friend's computer etc. For example, if
you are traveling to an auction and need information on a Silverware Set or piece of Jewelry you saw during the
preview, you can Log In to our service to identify it instantly.
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8) Can I use this service to distinguish authentic
antiques from reproductions?
Yes. Our database includes hundreds of newer marks that look like older antique logos on recent
reproductions. In most cases, they are listed side by side to help you tell
the difference easily and quickly or you can use our
Name Search to see them all on
one page. We constantly enter new ones as we find them to help you avoid costly mistakes.
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9) Once I have identified a mark, what do I need to do?
Our service provides the most comprehensive research tools available to find marks & hallmarks on Jewelry, Silver,
Silverplate, Pewter
and Metal ware from the world over and all periods. In addition to special tools described above, we have also included dedicated
pages with Country Hallmarks, Assay & Date or Town marks, Precious Metal units used in various countries,
Units Conversion formulas and other useful information. For Auction records or
results, please visit our
Values4Antiques.com service.
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