REGISTRY OF DESIGNS
FOR ALL SILKS
REGISTERED BETWEEN
1842 AND 1883
All the principal silk manufactures registered their designs with the Patent Office at various times. These registrations were recorded by weaving into the silk a particular design or device which recorded the essential elements of the registration.
These devices were in the shape of a diamond, with either letters or numbers in each of the four apex. These letters and numbers recorded the actual date on which the design was entered into the official records.
Whilst the design remained the same through the period 1842 to 1883, the actual significance of each apex number or letter changed. Two different arrangements were used, one covering the period 1842 to 1867, and the second covering the period 1868 to 1883.
These are shown below. It should be remembered however that these dates were the date of registration of the design - not the date on which the silk was made.
The circle at the top of the diamond contains roman numerals which define the Class of the goods covered by the registration. Woven silk items all fall into Class XII.
The chart below records the numbers and letters applicable to the whole of the period 1842 to 1883. As the first silk bookmark to be registered was that of John Caldicott on 18 February 1862, we are only concerned with the period after that date.
The Bundle number refers to the particular entry of that day. For instance, on the 1842 - 1867 diamond, the number 7 refers to the seventh entry for the day.
On 1 January 1884 the whole system changed, and all registered designs after that date have a sequential number, usually prefixed with the letters 'Rd. No.'
