Manufacturer: Elkington & Co.
Elkington & Co., Birmingham, England
George Richards Elkington was apprenticed at 14 to his two uncles, Josiah and George Richards to learn silverplating.
This was in 1815 and the silverplating process he learned was "close-plating" hammering thin layers of silver over base metal, with adhesion being by soldering.
His cousin, Henry Elkington, joined him about 1829-30 in the making of small articles. They were constantly doing research towards better methods of gilding base metals.
Between 1836 and 1839 the firm of GR & H. Elkington took out various patents, including one for " eletrogilding." Therefore, they are usually credited with the invention of electroplating.
John Wright discovered the need for cyanide of potassium in the plating solution and submitted his process to the Elkington Company who embodied it in their patent of 1840. This process was available to other manufacturers on a royalty basis.
A third partner, Josiah Mason was admitted in 1842 and the firm became Elkington, Mason & Company. Beginning then, their electroplate was marked with "E & Co." in a shield, and "EM & Co." in three separate shields, together with their company date letters. Mason left the firm about 1859 but his initial was not dropped from the marks until 1864.
The Crown, long used as part of many silverplaters' marks was dropped from Elkington's "E & Co." mark in 1896. In 1963 Elkington & Mappin & Webb merged to form British Silverware Ltd.
Soon afterwards they acquired Walker & Hall, Adie Bros., and Gladwyn Ltd. Products at all four firms are now sold under the Elkington name.
Source:
Items in Point Ellice House Collection:
Object Name: Knife,luncheon Accession Number: 1975.0001.2904
Object Name:Knife,luncheon Accession Number: 1975.0001.2904
Object Name:Knife,luncheon Accession Number:1975.0001.3129
Object Name: Knife,dinner Accession Number:1975.0001.6559
Object Name:Knife,dinner Accession Number:1975.0001.6556
Object Name: Knife,carving Accession Number:1975.0001.0926
Object Name:Knife, luncheon Accession Number:1975.0001.3127