137.64 ounces of sterling for $11.94

[DeepseekerADS]

My neighbor and I dropped in at a Goodwill store near Roanoke, Virginia several days ago.

I've thought hard about whether or not to even post it here. Really had to think about it.

I don't think this was a set of items, just some are closely resembling, and they all were featured together.

I didn't have a magnifier with me, but did have a magnet. This stuff is mostly heavily tarnished. Trying to get it in the light to see if it were marked was pretty tough, but I could see there were lettering and hallmarks.

The biggest one weighing 41.13 ounces is marked:

Wilcox
I and S in squares like hallmarks
International Silver Co.
6910/18

The next largest weighing 36.79 ounces is marked:

An octagon with a G in it.
Part rubbed off, 3 hallmarks, and number YB511

The next platter at 22.86 ounces is marked in squares with S M & Co. then W550-1
On the other end, it's marked Sheffield Reproduction then 3 hallmarks.

I haven't found any markings on the bowl and tray cover lids yet.

I gave them a hard scratching on the stone - just ground it in, in case of platings, and they sparkled blue on the 18k acid test.

I tested them again yesterday and they still came back positive.

It comes to 137.64 ounces of sterling silver.





It's okay if anyone comes in here and bursts my bubble. - but I'd rather it be a dream come true - my first real thrift shop score.

 

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[Kray Gelder]

I hope it's the real deal. I have read if you rub it then smell it, if it has an acrid sour smell, it's plated. Silver will have a sweeter smell.

 

[RTR]

Good going on the Goodwill hunt Last week my wife found this at our local Goodwill for $2.00.Thinking it will make a nice 'sand-sifter

 

[testing123]

maybe some pics of the hallmarks will help. Are they ounces, or grams?

 

[DeepseekerADS]

maybe some pics of the hallmarks will help. Are they ounces, or grams?

That's in ounces on my big scale - gotta check if 31.103 or 28 gram on the scale.

It's going to take me a little bit, but I'll have pictures of the markings in an hour or so.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

It took me a bit, and I'm NOT a photographer, so in a couple cases to took several pictures:

For the large tray:



Middle Tray:



Small Tray:

 

[SCpicker]

Looks to me like you have 137.64 ounces of nickel silver. The marks are a little worn but you can even see “plate” in a couple of the pics. BTW a magnet is pretty much useless on hollowware.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Looks to me like you have 137.64 ounces of nickel silver. The marks are a little worn but you can even see “plate” in a couple of the pics. BTW a magnet is pretty much useless on hollowware.

I saw the "plate" on the middle tray. Stone scratched that thing deeper and harder that the other's, getting to the point where I need to buy another stone. Tested with both the "Silver" acid, and the 18K acid as positive.

I'm not confident yet I'd take this to recycle. But, I'm only out at the max $1.99 for each item.

 

[xr7ator]

General rule is plate tarnishes in rainbow colors and sterling just turns grey and or black.

 

[SCpicker]

If you don’t know what you’re doing with acids you’re going to have a lot of false positives and even some false negatives. If you don’t see a silver purity hallmark of some kind on hollowware the odds of it being silver are slim to none. Some antique pieces don’t have a purity mark but they are quite rare.

Large tray. Wilcox silver co...rarely made sterling and when they did it was clearly marked.

Middle tray. “Plate” is clearly visible. Not sterling or any silver content.

Small tray. Clearly marked EP. EP means electroplated.

Many of the tips I have read about sterling are generally true but not always the case. If sterling is sitting in a box of silver plate for years it will smell just like silver plate. I have found sterling that had the same rainbow purple toning that silver plate generally gets. My favorite way to tell sterling is the flex test. No magnet, acid, or loupe required.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Many of the tips I have read about sterling are generally true but not always the case. If sterling is sitting in a box of silver plate for years it will smell just like silver plate. I have found sterling that had the same rainbow purple toning that silver plate generally gets. My favorite way to tell sterling is the flex test. No magnet, acid, or loupe required.

I'm getting myself educated here! Alas, I'm not wealthy or lucky! That's okay, I'm learning. This was only the 2nd time I purchased dinner ware at a thrift shop and that item was plated as well.

When you say "flex test", what do you mean?

 

[DeepseekerADS]

I must say that I'm embarrassed! I wish I'd not jumped the gun and posted this.

However, I did learn quite a bit here.

My concern is in my acid testing. I'd done it lot's of times before, but now I do have some doubts on my acid testing expertise. Prior to this I'd only tested jewelry, now I question those tests. On this batch I stated that I'd really put serious effort on scratching and testing these items. This has to question my efforts.

 

[tamrock]

My daughter had a friend one time, back in the desk top era and she got curious about what she saw me selling on eBay. I was showing her a group of sterling forks that recently sold in the $300. range, back when silver prices were up there. She then went home and showed my listings to her mother and they went out and hit the thrift stores and bought all this old plated silverware. I guess they spent about $150. on a bunch of old plate. My daughter's friend brought it by for me to look over and boy did I feel bad when I looked it over. They managed to buy a bunch of old flatware and not a one was worth anything.

 

[GlenDronach]

International Silver made almost entirely plated. It would be clearly marked sterling.

The second piece has the word "plate" on it.

The third piece is marked "E.P", electro plate.

None of it is valuable, unfortunately.

 

[DFW_THer]

I must say that I'm embarrassed! I wish I'd not jumped the gun and posted this.

However, I did learn quite a bit here.

My concern is in my acid testing. I'd done it lot's of times before, but now I do have some doubts on my acid testing expertise. Prior to this I'd only tested jewelry, now I question those tests. On this batch I stated that I'd really put serious effort on scratching and testing these items. This has to question my efforts.

Don't be embarrassed! Just friends here and you're learning. When it comes to testing plated hollowware, you usually have to scratch extremely deep to get past that 'false positive' layer of silver. Lots of elbow grease. To say there is ZERO silver in an EP (Electroplated) piece or a quadruple plate or a silver soldered or whatever silver type mark--is not true. There is some silver content in it, but typically not enough to make it worth buying unless you're getting a very large piece for a buck or two, or if it's a very old piece in very fine condition. No monogram helps. You can usually get a buck and change per pound on the plated stuff from the people who have the means to 'peel off' the silver. Much more involved (and more dangerous) chemical process than working with .900+.

If you want to test hollowware, it's easier to drop the acid directly on an area with the most wear. 9 out of 10 sterling hollowware items are worth more in melt, than antique/collector value, so you're really not taking any risk in applying acid directly to the piece. Just research the piece before you test if you're not sure. Obviously don't test a piece that says Tiffany & Makers on the bottom...

The flex test is simply turning it over in your hands and feeling how flexible/bendable the piece is. Even very thin plated items are much more rigid than sterling. If you pick up a thin piece of sterling, and press your finger into it firmly, you can very easily put a dimple in it. Won't happen with a plated piece.

Final piece of advice--keep a junk sterling item at your workbench. An 8" plate and a small Sterling Revere Repro bowl will do the trick. Pick it up, smell it, flick it, observe body heat transfer, rub it, push on it. Do it every day. Will really help fine tune your ability to spot the silver! Before long you won't even be picking up certain pieces to turn them over because you can tell by looking at them they are junque IS/EP pieces. You can also use it as a sample piece to compare for dropping acid directly on it. Observe the results of the known sterling piece beside the piece you're not sure about.

Cheers!

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Thank you DFW! I learned more from your response

 

[tamrock]

Well from what I see you really didn't over pay at all for those items. Not at all like that friend of my daughters did.

 

[namxat]

Deepseeker,

just for info or the record: The three plates with the tree are Judaica/shabbes plates. They show the "tree of life".

like here:

https://www.etsy.com/de/listing/571...query=tree of life platter&ref=sr_gallery-1-3

Maybe You can still earn a buck by ebaying them as judaica.


Greets Namxat

 

[randazzo1]

Namxat - I always thought that tree design was just a well for carving juices. What is the significance of the symbol?

 

[namxat]

Randazzo,

you kind of got me. What it means idk. I am not jewish,I just recognized it and since correctly labled stuff on ebay tends to bring a bit more bucks I thought I could just add the info.

There is a certain Abe Silverman (sic!) that sells the almost same piece for 38 bucks:

Vintage International Silver 18" CONCORD Silverplate Meat Carving & Serving Platter Tray #6410 at Abe Silverman's Antique Silver Shop

He writes ihmself that the tree of life is deep for catching juices. I do not think it offends anyone that such things are sold.

Greets

namxat