Oversized Crystal & Sterling Salt/Pepper Shaker - G. Unite Sons & Lyde - Birmingham, 1930

Laws regarding silver hallmarking are strict in England, as we all know. This piece is particularly interesting because of the way it is marked. I actually love the piece, and when I went to pay for it I asked, "I see it is marked English, but why only two markings?"

I remember reading the law about silver hallmarking, it was something like this: a piece with a removable sterling part must be marked on both pieces. On the body of the piece, the four markings are required (type of metal, date, makers' mark, and city mark). On the removable part, it only has to be marked with the type of metal and the date letter. It wasn't until I got home that I realized the top came off, luckily it is correctly marked underneath. I thought this was interesting.

Sterling Silver
Birmingham, England
1930
G. Unite Sons & Lyde