Silver Piece

I am guessing this is from the mid-20th Century. It is from Ankara, Turkey .900 silver. Pretty heavy and well made. Any idea as to whether or not I have the time period pinpointed? Also, what might something like this be worth? I have had it for a few years now and put it underneath an end table next to our couch. Got it out recently to shine it up and it got me to wondering about its age and possible worth.

 

If you weigh it you can get the metal value, then depending on where you are trying to sell it the value should be anywhere from scrap value to 50% over scrap value. At auction I'd be hoping to buy it for around metal value plus 10%.

 

Welcome, CBri!

You haven't mentioned any marks. There were 3 different silver marking schemes in Turkey during the 20th century - see this link. http://www.925-1000.com/foreign_marks3.html

Finding the marks on your piece will help you date it or at least give a range of time.

 

I see an M.I that could also be upside down I suppose and be an IW. That would suggest it may not be Turkish but perhaps from another country. It was located in Ankara so I naturally assumed it came from one of the silver shops there. If I had to guess I would say it might be a UK piece if it isn't Turkish. Ankara is the capital of Turkey so there might have been an international connection to this piece.

 

1 troy ounce (31 grams) of 90% silver goes for about 17.35$ today - you can weigh it and figure it out from here what the least it will be worth.

 

So there's no 900 actually marked on it, CBri?

Did you clean it up since that picture was taken? Do you have a picture of the letters you did find?

 

Yes there is a .900 on the bottom but my camera couldn't zoom in on it that well. I haven't shined it up in a while now it probably needs a good cleaning.

 

Your camera doesn't have a macro function?

I'd suggest gentle cleaning, at least of the area(s) where you see the other marks. It's amazing what you can find while doing that.

 

OK I found my camera that could perform a bit better. Here is the mark and the .900 stamp.

 

This isn't an identification but other pieces with similar mark. I wonder if the MI is for Milano?

http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21003

 

Interesting, SIS. Looks like a good match for the M.I on CBri's piece. Too bad no one replied.

I've never seen an Italian piece from Milano identified as such with the period between the letters, though.

 

Woah I believe that's it!

 

And not ever UK with a 900 mark. NIce lump that.

 

Not Italian, more likely Turkish, would guess mid 20th century or a bit earlier is about right - have seen a number of similarly marked pieces, Middle Eastern in style, some with Islamic designs. Note the similarity to the center mark on the 925-1000 link Bakersgma posted - might also consider the second character as the numeral '1', if not the letter 'I'...

~Cheryl

 

Well then it does fit with the piece coming from Ankara. Turkish silver may not have as much info about it in circulation over here. I've certainly found little about it online. I have never seen this particular mark associated with Turkish silver but it may be common knowledge there. I know to never assume. I have a few stray pieces that come from other shops outside our usual little place in Ankara. I think I have the time period right. When I head that way next time I will take a photo or two with me. I know of a silversmith in Istanbul who would likely know if this is a Turkish mark. If such is the case then it also answers the question someone else asked earlier on the board about a couple of pieces they had with the same mark.