Gold and Silver Thread Act 1741
| Year | 1741 |
(15 Geo. 2) C A P. XX.
'WH E R E A S of late great Frauds have been committed by a Sort of Tinsel Copper, or other base Metal, being brought into this Kingdom partly manufactured, which is spun or wrought upon Silk, and worked up in Imitation of Gold and Silver Lace, and is so exactly counterfeited, that Personsof Skill in that Manufacture are daily liable to Impositions; which not only tends to the Discouragement of the Manufactureof Gold and Silver Lace, and the Diminution of his Majesty's Revenue, but is of dangerous Consequence to the Publick in general: And whereas several Abuses may be committed in refining of Silver, and gilding thereof, and in the making of Gold and Silver Wire and Thread, especially in not allowing a due Proportion of fine Silver to Silk; whereby the Silver breaking and crumbling off from the Silk, there is not only a great Loss to the respective Buyers, but an irreparable Prejudice to the Nation in general, in the wasting and consuming of the Bullion thereof; and the said Silver and Gold Thread, and the Manufactures of which the same consist, consequently have not that Credit, Use and Service that Silver and Gold Thread, and the Manufactures thereof made abroad, have, to the great Discouragement of the Exportation of the said Silver and Gold Thread, and Manufacturers, and the Use and Wear of the same at home;' For Remedy thereof, Be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That from and after the said first Day ofJuly one thousand seven hundred and forty-two, all Copper, Brass, and every other Metal inferior to Silver, shall be spun upon Thread, Yarn, or Incle only, and not spun, mixed, wove, wrought, or set upon Silk; upon Pain, that each and every Person offending therein, shall forfeit and pay the Sum of five Shillings for each and every Ounceso spun, mixed, wove, wrought, or set upon Silk.
II The Weight of Silver Thread.
II. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That from and after the said first Day ofJuly , all Silver Wire to be drawn for the making of Silver Thread, shall hold at least eleven Ounces fifteen Penny-weight of fine Silver upon the Pound Weight Troy ; and that all Silverto be gilt and made use of in the Wire-drawers Trade, shall hold at least eleven Ounces eight Penny Weight of fine Silver upon the Pound WeightTroy , and shall not have less than four Penny-weight four Grains of fine Gold, without any Allay laid upon each Pound Weight of the said Silver; upon Pain, that the Refiner or Maker thereof, shall forfeit and pay the Sum of five Shillings for each and every Ounce so made contrary to the Directions of this Act.
III No gilt Wire to be coloured.
III. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That from and after the said first Day ofJuly no gilt Wire shall be coloured with Verdgrease or Deadhead, or any other forced Colour, upon Pain, that the Person so offending shall forfeit and pay the Sum of two Shillings and six Pencefor every Ounce so coloured; and for all Gold and Silver prepared as aforesaid, and reduced into Plate, there shall be allowed at the least six Ounces of the said Plate to cover four Ounces of Silk, except large Twist, Freeze, Freezon, Frost and Cheque, and also except round Brocade used in the making brocaded Gold and Silver Silks or Stuffs only, in which there shall be allowed at the least six Ounces of the said Plate to cover five Ounces of...
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