Featured Egyptian Hallmarks

Would be happy to get more information about the hallmarks of an Egyptian bracelet I got from the flea market. I have learnt that the cat means it is Silver and made before 1946 (am I right?), but I have no idea how to read the two other hallmarks referring to purity and origin. It is very heavy, about 135 gr. Thanks for helping me out!

 

Welcome, Leyla! I don't know how to read the assay mark (location and fineness) on the left, but the mark on the right is the date (year.) Because it is an Arabic character on your bracelet and not a Roman letter, the date is 1940 or later. That makes a pretty narrow range of age.

I know someone here (and maybe more than 1 someone) has the information you desire, so be patient!

 

http://www.chineseargent.com/home/egyptian-silver-hallmark
Have a look here, seems to have useful info.

 

Thanks Bronwen. Would you agree that it looks like 1947/48?

 

I would. Last year for the cat. After that the national mark became a lotus blossom. Handsome piece. Not a typical tourist-appeal design. Something an Egyptian might actually wear.

 

Thank you. Helps a lot. I think it was a lucky find, paid less than half of the current silver price

 

Nope - 47-48 is too late for the cat national mark. There is a tiny dot inside the mark on your item - making it 45-46.

 

Oops - spot on. Was rushing when I wrote, but, yes, last year for the cat was 1946. I have noticed that the tiny dots & loops on many Arabic letters suffer as silver punches, & some consecutive periods can be impossible to distinguish. Fortunately this one has the cat mark, so we know it is not 1994-96.

 

Thank you both for your contribution. Probably some artisans have used the cat symbol a bit longer than they officially should? The letter has a dot on top which looks to me more like the 1947/48 example. But this is just guessing...

 

i see 47 - 48 also.......the dot above seems more ....stronger....than the kinda dot inside....

 

I think it is more likely the cat is correct & the date letter has some stray blobs on it. The fineness mark on the left has a couple of dots that don't really belong there.

 

Welcome, @Leyla . Just wanted to compliment you on your excellent photos of the marks!

 

If I may come in a little late on this one - the mark on the left is a composite mark. The bottom part indicates the standard, as others have already pointed out. The squiggle or line above it identifies the assay office. Unfortunately, although there is quite a lot of information on the internet identifying the date letters I can find no comprehensive set of information showing the assay office marks. I wonder if anyone on here has a list?

 

of course you may !!!
& the fact that you recognize this as an older thread.............

u should come around more often !!!!!!

 

1

Year 1947-48 city = Beni Suef