Mystery Silver!

[jason4kstate]

Found these two pieces last year. The flower basket? is marked 900 on the back. I believe the company is based in Peru but I cannot confirm that. I paid .50 for this at an estate sale. It weighs 4 1/4 oz.

The other piece I am 99% sure is a baby rattle although it doesn't rattle. I think its a gourd that is painted black. It looks similar to a tool I had with alpaca silver yerba matte set I sold on ebay about a year ago. Any ideas on what this is would be appreciated. The handle is marked sterling.

 

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[bc8888]

The second piece appears to be a sewing / sock darner

 

[SDIceMan]

Great silver scores!

I believe your first piece was crafted by a Colombian silversmith. I found this link that shows a very similar hallmark to the one on your piece:

http://www.justanswer.com/antiques/7zg1k-id-silver-makers-mark.html

According to the author, and I'm paraphrasing, Colombian silversmiths use this shield device and they write the purity of the silver as '0,900' which is how it is written on yours. Unfortunately, there is no written record of who the silversmith is, but examples of their work turn up from time to time.

 

[JimDon]

The first piece looks like a gun grip for a pistol.

 

[scaupus]

first piece is a stirrup, or a smaller decorative replica, depending on size. Reproductions of Colonial stirrups are popular as wall hangings, and some of the old colonials are pretty valuable. They are usually made of brass, or wood. My ex-wife was Colombian, and there is a large South American population where I live, so I've seen many of these.

Here's a typical pair, but they do have quite a lot of variation in style, decoration, and quality.

 

[jason4kstate]

Thanks for the identification! I probably would have never figured it out! Are they valuable? I can't find anything similar that has sold.

 

[ARC]

I have owned several pair of the Conquistador stirrups...
Staring at one on my wall now.

Poss I.D> scaupus