Gorham Weight Marks

We receive many questions regarding the die stamped marks found on the backs of some Gorham pieces. We asked Gorham Customer Service about this. Their reply was, "Up until the 1980's, Gorham sterling was available in different weights:

• H - Heavy
• E - Extra Heavy
• M - Massive
• R - Regular
• T - Trade"

Below are pictures of examples - you may want to click on a picture to see a larger version. As you can see, the weight mark may appear in different places.

The first picture also illustrates an example of a retailer stamping the business name on the back. This was common earlier in the last century. In our opinion, these retailer marks do not devalue a piece. In fact, they may add value because they provide an additional indication of the age of the piece. In this example, the piece evidently was sold originally by J. C. Grogan & Co., founded in 1892 in Pittsburgh.

Click on any picture to see a larger version. By clicking on "Comments" below, you can see posted comments and add your own questions/comments.