No. 2452
William Badcock
1622-1698Goldsmith and merchantEurope · 1622Most named place: London
William Badcock was a London goldsmith and hilt-maker and also the author of a book on the gold and silver trade. He was admitted to the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths of London in 1668, and was also a member of the Longbow String Makers' Company of London.
He was the author of an influential book, "A Touch-stone for Gold and Silver Wares", published in 1677, which was enlarged in 1679 as "A New Touch-stone for Gold and Silver Wares". In the second edition, Badcock drew attention to the many fraudulent practices current in the trade at this period.
