Norwegian Silver Hallmarks & Silversmiths of Norway

Hallmarks have been used in Norway since the Sixteenth Century. The system included, at various times and in various combinations; city marks, assayer’s marks, date letters, date numbers, and maker’s marks. The farther a piece was made from the main population centers of Oslo (Christiana), Bergen and Trondheim, the more likely there were to be mark inconsistencies. The bureaucracy in control of silver marking seesawed between the Crown and the Silver Guilds for a few centuries and finally, in 1891, a simplified national system was established that is still in use.

The current system requires only a silver standard mark and maker’s mark. The old Norwegian standard of .830 purity silver is still used, but beginning around 1920, .925 purity began replacing it and is now the foremost standard in use. Town names are sometimes included with the required marks and the letters “NM” (Norsk Mønster) are sometimes seen on flatware, they are an indication of patent or copyright.
Below are illustrations of many of the latter 19th and 20th century silver producers of Norway. I will add to it as I find or am sent mark illustrations.

Magnus Aase
Bergen 1876-1953