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The Humiovi

Identify My Mark

Found a maker's mark you can't place? Send us a photo and we'll reply with who the mark is recorded for, if we can. Marks can be shared, and we can't authenticate a piece from a photo.

Before you send

Most marks can be found in our hallmark reference: search the initials alone, without dots, or the symbol in words such as “feather” or “bear”. Our guide to reading hallmarks explains what the stamps on Southwestern silver usually mean.

What to photograph

  1. The mark, close up and sharp

    Fill the frame with the stamp and tap the screen to focus on it. If your phone has a macro or close-up mode, use it. A slightly further, sharp photo is better than a close, blurred one.

  2. Good, raking light

    Daylight from a window works best. Light coming from the side throws a shadow into the stamped letters and makes them readable; a flash straight on flattens them into glare.

  3. The whole piece

    Add one photo of the entire piece, front and back. The design, the stones and the construction often say as much about the maker as the stamp does.

  4. Every stamp on it

    Include any other marks, such as STERLING, .925, a second set of initials or a symbol. Leave the piece as it is: please don't polish or clean the stamp first.

What happens next

A member of the gallery looks at every photo against the reference and replies by email with who the mark is recorded for, if we can find it, and how sure we are; if we can't, we will say so. Marks can be shared: the same initials are recorded for more than one maker, so a match is a lead, not a verdict. A mark we can confirm may be added to the reference, without your name or any detail about your piece.

We can't authenticate a piece from a photo alone, and we don't appraise or value jewelry. A matching stamp tells you whose mark it is, not who made a particular piece.

Your email is used only to reply to you; we do not add it to any mailing list. Your photos are kept private and are seen only by the gallery. We remove location and camera details from them where we can; an iPhone HEIC photo we cannot convert is kept as you sent it, still private. Prefer email? Write to info@humiovisedona.com.

Send your photos

One to three photos: JPEG, PNG, WebP or HEIC. On a phone you can take them with the camera. We shrink large photos before sending.

Only to reply to you. We do not add it to any mailing list.

We use your email and photos only to reply to you; see our privacy policy.

This reference is informational only. We do not offer an authentication service for hallmarks or for pieces bought elsewhere; we authenticate only the items we sell. The Humiovi is not affiliated with the artists listed.