Coin Silver or Plated

This jug came in a mixed lot of silver and silver plated items. It was described as plated. It’s a very common coin silver form though. It’s not marked. Impossible to tell via photos but would your vote be for coin silver or plated? The tiny impression in the bottom is not a hallmark I’m pretty sure. I think it’s a production remnant, most of them seem to have it.

 

Looks like coppers peeking through so I would vote plated

 

Isn't that just reflection though, doesn't seem an obvious area to have such wear

 

If Joe is referring to the bottom it’s highly toned in that area and then some reflection in photo. There’s no wear or copper technically peeking through. Just an almost rainbow toning that more often seen on plated wares than silver wares in my experience.

 

I'll say silver cuz of what looks like a hollow dented handle.......

@MrNate ?

 

I would give it an 85% chance of being coin silver. Are you sure there are no marks? That would be uncommon, but certainly not impossible. I would just expect a piece like this to have a little sneaky mark somewhere. I LOVE the rainbowish straition underneath...not saying that's difinitive, but it's a great sign IMO. Dark tarnish, tone is right. I also feel like I see a very faint seam at the widest part of the pitcher possibly indicating the top/bottom vertical pieces were soldered together (another positive sign unless my eyes are just playing tricks on me). Weight?

 

I was thinking silver too. The tarnish looks wrong for plate, and I've never seen a silverplate one in that design.

 

Top part (liquid bearing) and base look to be soldered together. No mark anywhere, unless faded from polish. I’ve looked it over a million times. If American coin silver they usually put it somewhere pretty obvious unlike some continental makers. I did just put a flashlight on it and lo and behold I do see brass bleeding though on the underside of the handle where the most contact would be made by fingers. I wonder what the odds are that the handle would be another metal that was plated and the rest silver? Would brass conduct heat less than silver? It probably would. Idk about a brass handle and silver body though? I just put a pretty deep scrape on the bottom and I don’t see brass there. It looks like someone already scraped that area a long time ago. It’s heavier than I’d expect for coin silver but I’ve never had a coin silver jug. I guess if you would afford a jug maybe you could afford a thicker gauge of silver. It does appear to have been hammered on the areas that would have been harder or less important to smooth out.

 

Can you polish the handle and does the yellow tone go away? I trust your judgment if you say it looks like brass, but I’ve seen that color of tarnish of coin silver.

 

The tarnish of electroplate, not coin

 

I actually have seen that too. Seeing that this is the highest touch/friction area I do believe it’s brass bleeding though in this instance. Wish it weren’t so!

 

That was my initial opinion too. Well the toning rather than the tarnish, but close enough. Gosh I wish I just had an XRF machine or had a shop nearby that did and didn’t mind using it often, for free or cheap.