mjm579
Hero Member
I've tried for many months now to find a piece or two of sterling silver (not plated) silverware. No matter how hard I tried, never an item. Today I went to a church rummage sale (with paid admission).
Of course I hit up the jewelry table before making my way around the rest of the sale. Three floors or mostly junk.
I picked up a few decent pieces here and there (I'll have a separate post on the camera/electronics finds).
Made my way to the third floor for there "high end room" mostly plate, but I did find two pieces in a case display so I bought them. The broken spoon had a mark I had never seen before and I did clean it up a bit when I got home just to be sure ($2) - 830 - I now know is a Norwegian mark. So I'm fairly certain this piece is the real deal.
The other piece is clearly marked sterling (handle) I paid $8. Aside - what is this used for?
Then around I walked and came across a bag full of silverware they described as plate for $5. If not for the similarity to the hook thing I would have probably overlooked it myself. They had cleaned the one knife "just to show how nice it cleaned up" (my second clue as the blade was clearly belt polished, not sure what method they used on the handle - but no wear marks). Then I thought "hell, it's $5. I've wasted more than that on lunch I didn't finish"!!
Since I've never found an unmarked piece I'm still having my doubts. Please reassure me!!
Some history and MAJOR frustration with this sale. Back to the beginning (at the jewelry tables) - I was honest about a few items when the lady was a bit (a whole bit) of a B!TCH. I kept telling myself that with every good deed...
I picked up three pairs of earrings out of box that wasn't marked for price - when I requested a price for the items in the square box (three pairs of earrings were tucked away in my hand) she replied rather brashly "where did you find THOSE"...."um, on the table without a price"..."well, someone must have just dropped those off"..."I don't know"...."do you HAVE ANY OTHER pieces?"...."yes, these three pairs in my hand"....then she snatched the three pairs from my hand returning one when she knew it was costume. FYI - I know the one pair was 925 and the earrings could have been gold didn't really get a good look since it was fairly dark there and about 95 degrees.
When I asked how much again..."well, I didn't have a chance to look at THESE yet"...."well, will have a price later today"..."oh no, I will probably hold on to those for next years sale".
I literally was on the verge of dropping everything I had planned to buy and walk out (requesting a refund as I left). I told myself be calm and be repaid at least ten-fold.
Fast forward two hours - I'm snooping around the "high end room" and who peeps over my shoulder, as I was buying the Sterling hook piece, but HER. Thank GOD the spoon for $2 was already purchased and safely stowed in my bag.
She said something along the lines of "boy, you really know what your doing. Of course she wants it (insert name here of old lady who could barely hear behind the stand) it's got a STERLING handle". WTF is your hold up lady?
She made her way around the table, I believe looking to buy for herself at this point. Totally overlooked the bag of "PLATE" for $5!!! PRICELESS!!!!
PLEASE reassure me that I've finally found the real thing. It all weighs about 3 pounds 4 ounces with the blades.
FYI - I did clean up a few of the handles with my aluminum foil, salt, water....etc mix before these pics. Ran out if patience to clean them all. Also scratched in to one of the handles heavily with no sign of copper or brass and still bright red silver solution test.
Of course I hit up the jewelry table before making my way around the rest of the sale. Three floors or mostly junk.
I picked up a few decent pieces here and there (I'll have a separate post on the camera/electronics finds).
Made my way to the third floor for there "high end room" mostly plate, but I did find two pieces in a case display so I bought them. The broken spoon had a mark I had never seen before and I did clean it up a bit when I got home just to be sure ($2) - 830 - I now know is a Norwegian mark. So I'm fairly certain this piece is the real deal.
The other piece is clearly marked sterling (handle) I paid $8. Aside - what is this used for?
Then around I walked and came across a bag full of silverware they described as plate for $5. If not for the similarity to the hook thing I would have probably overlooked it myself. They had cleaned the one knife "just to show how nice it cleaned up" (my second clue as the blade was clearly belt polished, not sure what method they used on the handle - but no wear marks). Then I thought "hell, it's $5. I've wasted more than that on lunch I didn't finish"!!
Since I've never found an unmarked piece I'm still having my doubts. Please reassure me!!
Some history and MAJOR frustration with this sale. Back to the beginning (at the jewelry tables) - I was honest about a few items when the lady was a bit (a whole bit) of a B!TCH. I kept telling myself that with every good deed...
I picked up three pairs of earrings out of box that wasn't marked for price - when I requested a price for the items in the square box (three pairs of earrings were tucked away in my hand) she replied rather brashly "where did you find THOSE"...."um, on the table without a price"..."well, someone must have just dropped those off"..."I don't know"...."do you HAVE ANY OTHER pieces?"...."yes, these three pairs in my hand"....then she snatched the three pairs from my hand returning one when she knew it was costume. FYI - I know the one pair was 925 and the earrings could have been gold didn't really get a good look since it was fairly dark there and about 95 degrees.
When I asked how much again..."well, I didn't have a chance to look at THESE yet"...."well, will have a price later today"..."oh no, I will probably hold on to those for next years sale".
I literally was on the verge of dropping everything I had planned to buy and walk out (requesting a refund as I left). I told myself be calm and be repaid at least ten-fold.
Fast forward two hours - I'm snooping around the "high end room" and who peeps over my shoulder, as I was buying the Sterling hook piece, but HER. Thank GOD the spoon for $2 was already purchased and safely stowed in my bag.
She said something along the lines of "boy, you really know what your doing. Of course she wants it (insert name here of old lady who could barely hear behind the stand) it's got a STERLING handle". WTF is your hold up lady?
She made her way around the table, I believe looking to buy for herself at this point. Totally overlooked the bag of "PLATE" for $5!!! PRICELESS!!!!
PLEASE reassure me that I've finally found the real thing. It all weighs about 3 pounds 4 ounces with the blades.
FYI - I did clean up a few of the handles with my aluminum foil, salt, water....etc mix before these pics. Ran out if patience to clean them all. Also scratched in to one of the handles heavily with no sign of copper or brass and still bright red silver solution test.
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