You know that feeling when you're digging through a tray of old costume jewelry at an estate sale, and you find something that just feels... different? It’s heavier than the rest. The clasp looks weirdly old-fashioned. Then you turn it over and see a tiny, diamond-shaped stamp hidden in the tarnished metal.
Most people would just ignore it or assume it’s a random smudge.
But if you know what you’re looking at, that little diamond—the "Kite Mark"—is basically a birth certificate. It’s like the Victorian version of a serial number. If you can read the code, it doesn't just tell you the year; it tells you the exact month and day the design was registered.
I’ve actually used this trick to find pieces in bargain bins that everyone else skipped over, only to realize they were authentic 1850s Whitby Jet. It’s honestly the closest thing to time travel we have. So, grab your magnifying glass—we’re going to crack the code.
WHAT IS THE BRITISH REGISTRY "KITE MARK"? (HISTORY & PURPOSE)
Before we start decoding letters, we need to clear up a massive misconception. In the mid-19th century, the British jewelry industry was booming, but so was plagiarism. Manufacturers were tired of competitors ripping off their popular brooch and buckle designs.
The Design Registration Act of 1842 Explained
To combat this copycat culture, the British Patent Office introduced the Design Registration Act in 1842. This allowed manufacturers to register a specific design for three years of copyright protection. When they registered a piece, they were assigned a "diamond mark" (the kite) that encoded the date of registration.
This system ran until 1883. That means if you see a kite mark, you can instantly date the object to a 41-year window in the Victorian era. It is arguably the most precise dating tool in antique jewelry.
Why It’s Not a Hallmark (Design vs. Metal Content)
This is where beginners get burned. I have seen countless sellers on eBay list a kite-marked brooch as "Solid Silver" simply because it has a stamp.
Patricia's Pro-Tip:
"A Kite Mark is not a guarantee of metal quality. It is a copyright stamp, not an assay mark. It protects the shape of the brooch, not the gold content. You will find kite marks on solid gold, sterling silver, and cheap base metal alike. Never buy a piece based on the kite alone if you are looking for melt value."
ANATOMY OF THE KITE: HOW TO READ THE 4 CORNERS
If you look at the mark through a 10x loupe, you’ll see it’s divided into specific sections. There is a central circle and four distinct corners inside the diamond. Each position holds a specific piece of data.
The Class Roman Numeral (Top Circle): Identifying the Material
Right at the very top of the diamond, usually inside a small circle, you will see a Roman numeral. This tells you what material the item is made of.
Class I: Metal. This is what you will see on 99% of jewelry, whether it’s gold, silver, iron, or brass.
Class III: Glass. Occasionally found on pressed glass beads or mourning jewelry components.
Class IV: Earthenware. You might see this on ceramic cameos or jasperware.
The Bundle Number vs. The Registration Number
Depending on the year, you might see a number at the bottom or top that doesn't seem to fit the date code. This is often the "Bundle" number, which was essentially a filing batch number for the patent office. It’s useful for archives, but for us dating the piece in the wild, it’s largely irrelevant. We care about the corners.
THE TWO DISTINCT PERIODS: 1842–1867 VS. 1868–1883
Here is why most people fail at reading these marks. The Patent Office, in their infinite wisdom, decided to shuffle the deck halfway through the century. The layout of the code changed completely in 1868.
If you try to read an 1870 mark using the 1850 layout, you will end up with a date that doesn't exist, like "Month 32."
Period I (1842–1867): The "Year Letter" is at the Top
In the early Victorian period, the most important information—the Year—was placed at the very top corner of the diamond (just under the Class circle).
Layout:
Top Corner: Year Letter
Right Corner: Day of Month
Left Corner: Month Letter
Bottom Corner: Bundle Number
Period II (1868–1883): The "Year Letter" Moved to the Right
From 1868 onwards, they rotated the information.
Layout:
Top Corner: Bundle Number (Confusing, I know)
Right Corner: Year Letter
Left Corner: Month Letter
Bottom Corner: Day of Month
MASTER DECODER CHARTS: YEAR AND MONTH LETTERS
I keep screenshots of these tables on my phone because memorizing them is impossible. The Patent Office skipped random letters to avoid confusion (like 'I' looking like '1'), and the year codes are not alphabetical.
The Month Codes (A, B, C, D... Excluding J, L, O, Q)
The months are fairly consistent across both periods. Note that they often skipped vowels or letters that looked like numbers.
| Letter Code | Month Represented |
| C | January |
| G | February |
| W | March |
| H | April |
| E | May |
| M | June |
| I | July |
| R | August |
| D | September |
| B | October |
| K | November |
| A | December |
The Year Codes (X, H, C, A... The Non-Alphabetical Nightmare)
This is the holy grail. Find the letter in the Year position (Top for Period I, Right for Period II) and match it here.
| Year | Period I Letter | Year | Period II Letter |
| 1842 | X | 1868 | X |
| 1843 | H | 1869 | H |
| 1844 | C | 1870 | C |
| 1845 | A | 1871 | A |
| 1846 | I | 1872 | I |
| 1847 | F | 1873 | F |
| 1848 | U | 1874 | U |
| 1849 | S | 1875 | S |
| 1850 | V | 1876 | V |
| 1851 | P | 1877 | P |
| 1852 | D | 1878 | D |
| 1853 | Y | 1879 | Y |
| 1854 | J | 1880 | J |
| 1855 | E | 1881 | E |
| 1856 | L | 1882 | L |
| 1857 | K | 1883 | K |
| 1858 | B | 1884 | (System Ended) |
| 1859 | M | ||
| 1860 | Z | ||
| 1861 | R | ||
| 1862 | O | ||
| 1863 | G | ||
| 1864 | N | ||
| 1865 | W | ||
| 1866 | Q | ||
| 1867 | T |
STEP-BY-STEP CASE STUDY: DATING A MYSTERY BROOCH
Let's say we have a heavy, black metal brooch. It looks like mourning jewelry. On the back, there is a kite mark.
Step 1: Locating the Orientation (Which way is Up?)
First, find the Roman Numeral circle. That is always the top. In our case, it says "I", meaning Class I (Metal).
Step 2: Decoding the Top Corner (Class)
We look at the letter directly under the Roman Numeral "I". The letter is "V".
Referencing our chart, if "V" is in the Top position, we are likely in Period I.
Checking the Period I chart: V = 1850.
Step 3: Cross-Referencing the Side Letters
Now we check the Left Corner (Month). Let's say it is an "R".
Checking the Month chart: R = August.
The Right Corner (Day) is a number, let's say "12".
The Result: The design for this brooch was registered on August 12, 1850. We have just successfully dated this piece to the mid-Victorian era.
TROUBLESHOOTING: WHY YOUR KITE MARK DOESN'T MATCH THE CHARTS
It happens all the time. You follow the steps, and the letters make no sense. Don't panic; it’s usually one of three issues.
The "R" vs. "B" Confusion (Blurred Stamps)
These punches were tiny and often struck by hand into hard metal. Over time, the die would wear down. An "R" often looks like a "B". An "E" can look like an "F". If your result says "September 32nd," try swapping the month letter for a visually similar one.
"Transitional" Days: What Happens When a Code Expires?
Sometimes, during the transition years (like 1867 to 1868), manufacturers used old punches for a few weeks into the new year, or mixed up the orientation. If you have a piece that seems to have the Year letter in the wrong spot, rely on the style of the jewelry to confirm the decade.
Illegible Marks: How to Use Context Clues (Style & Clasp) When the Kite is Worn
If the kite is rubbed smooth (common on the back of brooches that rubbed against clothing), look at the hardware.
Tube Hinge: Usually pre-1890.
Safety Catch: Almost certainly post-1910 (meaning the kite might be fake or the pin replaced).
Long Pin Stem: Victorian pins extended beyond the body of the brooch to grip thick wool fabrics.
THE "RD" NUMBER TRANSITION: WHAT HAPPENED AFTER 1883?
The kite system was clever, but complicated. In 1884, the British Patent Office scrapped it for a much simpler sequential numbering system.
Replacing the Kite with Serial Numbers (1884 Onwards)
If you see "Rd" followed by a number (e.g., Rd 15623), your piece is from 1884 or later.
Rd 1 - 19753: 1884
Rd 19754 - 40479: 1885
This is a much easier system to look up, but it lacks the romantic precision of knowing the exact day.
IS IT VALUABLE? HOW REGISTRY MARKS INFLUENCE PRICE
Does having a kite mark make a piece worth thousands? Not necessarily. But it adds a premium.
Collector Premiums for Early Victorian (1840s) Pieces
A clear, legible kite mark proves provenance. It proves the item isn't a modern reproduction. For collectors of specific makers or eras, that certainty is worth paying for. I generally price kite-marked pieces 20-30% higher than identical unmarked pieces.
The "Jet" Factor: Why Class I Marks on Black Jewelry Are Rare
Authentic Whitby Jet is hard to mark because it can fracture. Finding a crisp kite mark on a piece of purported jet is a massive "tell." However, be careful—if the mark is molded into the piece rather than stamped, you might be looking at Vauxhall Glass or Gutta Percha (early plastic), which was molded to look like jet.
FAQ: COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT BRITISH REGISTRY MARKS
Does a Kite Mark Mean it's Sterling Silver?
No. It only means the design was registered. The metal could be brass, copper, or silver. You must look for separate hallmarks (like the Lion Passant) to confirm silver content.
Can American Jewelry Have a Kite Mark?
Generally, no. This was a British system. However, jewelry was exported. Finding a kite mark in an American estate sale is common, but the piece originated in the UK.
What Does "Rd" Stamped Next to the Kite Mean?
This usually indicates a transitional piece or a manufacturer ensuring they were covered by displaying the abbreviation for "Registered." It reinforces that the design is protected.
The hunt is the best part. Next time you see that tiny, confusing diamond stamp, don't put the piece down. Pull out your phone, check the charts, and see if you can uncover a forgotten date from the 19th century. You might just find a treasure everyone else missed.
