plate mark

plate mark (plural plate marks)

1. A legal emblem stamped into articles made from precious metals such as gold and silver to indicate the value of the metal.
   • 1854, Hugh Tilsley, A Treatise on the Stamp Laws, in Great Britain and Ireland:

     In Scotland the marks on silver of 11 oz. 2 dwts. are precisely the same as those on gold of 22 carats standard; and so it was, also, in England until the 7 & 8 Vict. c. 22, by s. 15 of which the gold plate mark was altered.

   • 1883, Hall marks on gold and silver plate:

     Last autumn a gentleman who is well acquainted with plate marks saw this plate, and informed the owner that it was spurious.

   • 1996, Joseph Leo Koerner, The Moment of Self-Portraiture in German Renaissance Art, →ISBN, page 203:

     The coat of arms, trademark, and Haus- and Hofmarken when used to identify property owned by a person, family, or institution; the personal device or seal employed to "sign" or notarize contracts and other legal documents; the marks of stonemasons, which indicated the identity of theproducer so that he could be paid for the pieces he fashioned; and the goldsmith's plate mark, which identified the maker and guaranteed the quality of the gold used — all these were ways of registering the person in law and commerce within the culture out of which Du:rer emerged.

2. A mark made on paper by the edge of an intaglio plate during printing.
   • 1976, Ruth Leaf, Etching, Engraving, and Other Intaglio Printmaking Techniques, →ISBN:

     All four beveled edges of the plate should correspond with the embossed plate mark on the back of the print.

   • 2011, Simon Gunn, Lucy Faire, Research Methods for History, →ISBN, page 32:

     Note both that the owner of the original painting is named on the print – John Conduit was married to Newton's niece – and that the plate mark, showing where the metal has been pressed onto the paper, is clearly visible.

   • 2015, David Cycleback, Identifying Antique Commercial Printing Processes, And the Basics of Authenticating Antique and Art Prints, →ISBN:

     Many intaglio prints have a plate mark a distance away from the printed image.