Chinese Sterling Silver

[HistoryTeacher]

I hit a new TS today and finally got into some precious metal after a long drought. I think. I've been wary of Chinese "sterling" as it is clear that eBay is loaded with fake sterling pieces from China, but when I picked up these two boxes I had to buy them ($2 each). The boxes seemed old, and I had to know what exactly they were. When I got home, I Googled around and discovered that in the late 1800's and early 1900's Chinese silversmiths made silver pieces for the export/tourist market and that many of these are highly collectible. I cleaned all the old wax build up on these and think they are quite nice. Each is about 2 1/4" to 2 1/2" tall. They are marked in Chinese on the bottom with what I think are the same two characters that are on the cloth label on the box above the words sterling silver. I cannot find anything like these. It doesn't help that there is a brand of China dishes called Sterling.

Can anyone help me? Are the marks the maker's marks or "Sterling" marks? Anyone else have experience with Chinese pieces?

 

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[Drmad7]

Nice score!! They look like candleholders. Beautiful pieces!

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Nice find!

 

[Javadroid]

If they are silver that's a hefty bunch of it! Congrats!

 

[JimDon]

List them with International shipping. Chinese buy this and pay good money. Sold a small bamboo and silver export bracelet to a guy in China for $157. Couldn’t believe it.

 

[HistoryTeacher]

List them with International shipping. Chinese buy this and pay good money. Sold a small bamboo and silver export bracelet to a guy in China for $157. Couldn’t believe it.

Sounds like good advice; I wouldn't have thought of that. I don't usually ship internationally, but I might have to consider it for this item. That is, if I don't decide to keep it.

 

[HistoryTeacher]

If they are silver that's a hefty bunch of it! Congrats!

They are silver over glass. My guess is not more than 1-2 ounces, but worth a lot more as collectible.

 

[zombieraccoon]

Wow, those are some incredibly complex charcters it is signed with.

 

[GA_Boy]

Napkin holders maybe? Looks like the hole goes all the way through.
Marvin