Featured It's time to show some more silver

The last two weeks have been pretty busy at work, so I haven't had as much time as I would like to get on the forum. I've still managed to sneak away and visit stores in my quest for more of this wonderful metal we call silver. Up until today, I had some modest finds in the last two weeks. But as I was visiting a store today, I saw a little platter. When I first saw it, it definitely didn't look real. It was off in a section of the store with cups and dishes and I almost didn't pick it up.

Once I picked it up, and flipped it over, I noticed it had an inscription on the back. Directly below the inscription, I saw "SILVER." I'm a bit cautious (perhaps after my spoon mistake), so I bought it and acid tested it to be sure..yup it's definitely silver! The platter was my best find in the last two weeks. It weighs 212 grams and it cost me $1.48! I haven't gotten around to polishing it all, but the platter was too pretty to leave tarnished. I hope you enjoy the photos.

 

Can't wait to see all polished. I have my sunglasses ready.
(Looks like some marks under the date on platter)

 

Hey, for $1.48, it was definitely worth the gamble! Japan? China? Kind of unusual names for my part of the world.

Sad that they didn't make it to their 20th anniversary.

 

I thought the same thing! I don't know for sure, but my best guess is they are American "pet names" for the couple who got married, not necessarily their actual names?

 

I don't think so. The format of the date is also not normal for USA. Plus if this was made for US sale, it wouldn't be marked just "silver."

 

The platter does have 2 "maker's" marks under the M in March.The date format is normal for many in the USA,every one in the military used it and many still use it after completing their service.

 

What are these?

 

Circled areas too small to tell anything.

 

Thanks for pointing out the little marks, Holly!

You've got a valid point about the use of the military date format by those who've served, but I'm still thinking this item isn't from here.

 

Thanks for the question. I took a close look just to be sure I didn't miss something, and the areas that you circled aren't anything of significance. Likely it just looks like a little mark from the reflecting of the dish and a minor difference in the shape of that part of the back. The item is marked SILVER directly below the date, that is the final picture I attached. From a distance I agree it looks like a "maker's mark" but it's actually just the word SILVER stamped into the dish.

 

Well done!

 

Nice one. All I found today at the Ill Will was a way to waste time.

 

Very nice.

 

When I saw you thread the title made me say "Oh GOODIE!" Thanks for posting you silver finds, I love looking at them

 

I don't know any country in the late 20th C that would mark a silver item simply 'silver' on that manner, especially without any definition of the grade of silver used. I suspect it is silver plated. Acid testing silver plate without filing through the surface will give the same result as a solid silver piece.

 

If it wasn't plated after engraving the names on the back,the triangle cuts at the top of the letters would deeper than any plating.

 

I don’t really know how to respond other than to tell you I know it’s made of silver.

 

I bet it's Indian; that looks like Indian-style English, and having it just marked Silver would fit.

 

Certainly not American - everything about it, from the overall quality with the less than careful finishing and engraving to the form of the date and the 'Guchi Weds Moru' phrasing, says India to me. They haven't really had much regulation or official marks on precious metals until recently, and 'SILVER' is a fairly common mark, so there is certainly a chance it's silver of some grade, though I've seen quite a few fairly modern Indian pieces marked 'Silver' that were without question plated brass or nickel silver (or plain nickel silver)...

~Cheryl

 

Couldn't find any similar in solid silver, but here are a couple round Indian trays with similar gadrooned and floral cast rims in silverplate (forgive the crummy screen captures):




~Cheryl