Advice and Oxygen....

[billjustbill]

It's late and I don't have a picture to post until Saturday afternoon, but I need some advice about a 925 long and wide oval tray/platter I found today....

On the back side it has the number "925" by itself, an imprint within a carthouse inset is stamped the word "Peru", another carthouse with a Lama animal stamped inside it, and finally the word "Welsch" openly stamped a bit farther to the right. The handles appear to be part of the tray/platter and along with a 1/2" wide by 3/16" thick border the blend into the same size border raised trim.

Question: Is the overlay another metal? It is shiny as the rest of the tray/platter that measures 16" wide by 26" long. Overall, it a heavy piece of Sterling, but should one count the overlay or try and discount the tray weight....

I don't have large enough PM scales, so I weighed on scales like one finds in the produce department of a grocery store.... They are fairly accurate in 1/8 lb. graduations. The tray/platter weighs 5.5 lbs of 16oz/lb. weight. I paid $25.... How much of the 5.5 lbs can one expect if the wide overlay trim isn't sterling?


At the same sale, I found a Sterling tumbler with "Sterling" stamped, then an emblem of a "Tree" above the Sterling word on the bottom of the tumbler. See Ebay link below:
Engraved on it are the words:
" 1959----1960" on the first line,
"Sportsman Polo Association" on the second line.
It weighs 139.5 grams
Paid $5.

Sterling Silver Vintage Benjamin Trees Mint Julep Cup Famed Kentucy Silversmith | eBay

Always appreciate your help,
Bill

 

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[silverdollarbill]

Can't wait to see picks....id need oxygen too!

 

[diggummup]

Given the little bit of reading I did about Welsch & Co which is a German firm based in Lima I believe. I would say the tray is 100% sterling. Congrats on 2 great silver finds. I haven't found any at all this year other than an Alvin Silver perfume decanter.
More on Welsch & Company-

WELSCH & Co.
Peru

Perhaps the most difficult problem which our firms will encounter in this market is the sale and distribution of merchandise. Welsch & Co., a wealthy German firm, have a predominant position in the Peruvian jewelry trade, and the number of other firms devoted to this line that are worthy of any amount of credit is very limited. Most or all of them are retail firms located in Lima or Arequipa. As it is hardly likely that Welsch & Co. will give preference to American goods and as there are no other wholesale jewelers in Peru, no existing means are apparent for distributing our goods throughout the country. The parent corporation of Welsch & Co. is Ehni & Co., of Stuttgart, Germany. They maintain the finest equipped jewelry store and several smaller ones in Lima, two stores in Arequipa, and several in other cities. In towns too small to support a store they have agents or send salesmen with stock to cover the trade periodically. For example, they sell jewelry at the mines on pay day and in general cover the whole market thoroughly. Of the other most important retail jewelers five are of Italian origin, three German, one Spanish, and one Chilean.

Source: Jewelry and Silverware in Chile, Bolivia, and Peru - United States. Dept. of Commerce, Samuel W. Rosenthal - 1919

 

[billjustbill]

Here are the Pics

Thanks for the support, guys!!

Although these two things were found on "Friday The 13th", the next day, "Saturday the 14th", turned out to be a bigger silver surprise!

Here's Friday's 92.5 "Welsch and Peru" stamped tray, and the Mint Julep Cup Sterling Silver by silversmith, Benjamin Trees.

 

[JimDon]

Awesome!!!! Lucky you! Although I know it's a lot of Hardwork too.

 

[ARC]

Great picks... Well done.

Count every ounce as sterling.

 

[ARC]

I will point out...
This tray may be worth WELL beyond a "scrap" value.