jan 1, 1564 - mark

Description:

Individual cutlers used marks to identify their wares and the practice had its origins in the Middle Ages. In York in the 1400s each bladesmith had to <i> coupe et use son propre merkes sur ses cotels </i> (SS120/136). In 1552 a scythesmith named John Parker made provision in his will for his son to have his trademark (MW49). In Sheffield the earliest surviving records of the granting of marks by the manorial court are those of William Elles, cutler, and John White White, shearsmith, in 1554. The manorial court roll of 1564-5 has hand-drawn images of the marks and a list of those who <i> came to the Court and took of the Lord these Marks for their knives </i> (HCC91).

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