Featured Old looking sterling silver dish ?

I tested this for sterling and came back positive. What the heck is it ? No markings anywhere.

Thanks

Billy D.

 

The shape is a 2 handled porringer, but that really doesn't look like sterling. The copperish color in the pictures? Is that a reflection or is it actually there?

 

Maybe a wine tasting bowl ? It looks like it might be pewter.

 

Quaich? Looks like one. (thank you Bargain Hunt!) I'm probably spelling it wrong, but it looks like a "hospitality bowl" thingie from Scotland. They'd pour a bit of whisky into it and pass it around. One of our Brits would probably know for sure, being closer to the source.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quaich

 

I agree. Looks silver plated.
What's it look like polished?

 

It's called, as Evelby correctly said, a 'quaich'. Basically it's a Scottish drinking vessel, for wine or whiskey or other alcoholic beverages.

These were sometimes made of silver, but really old ones were commonly made of pewter as well. I suspect that's what this is made of.

They're meant to be filled and passed from person to person, typically as a sign of goodwill. That's probably why it's got a round bottom - it's not meant to be sat down - it's meant to be handed around the room.

Perhaps polish it and see what happens? For myself I don't see this being silver, but you never know. That doesn't look like any silver tarnishing that I've ever seen.

 

It looks like a quaich, but it isn't. It is a Dutch 'brandewijnkom', brandy bowl. It was used the same way as a quaich, but with brandy instead of whisky.
These are pewter, early 17th century:

http://www.geheugenvannederland.nl/nl/geheugen/view?identifier=NISA01:884
(This site is called 'memory of the Netherlands', it shows Dutch items from several museums and private collections.)

They also made them in silver, but those usually have thinner walls and more decorations:

http://haffmansantiek.nl/zilveren-m...e-miniature-brandy-bowl-smidt-van-gelder.html

This is the classic Scottish quaich. Note the shape of the handles, it is seen on most quaichs, and is also seen in evelyb's link:


Some are more like the Dutch brandewijnkom, which I have been told is due to the influence of the town of Culross, near Edinburgh, which had a strong trade connection with the Netherlands.
Edinburgh silver quaich:

http://www.onlinegalleries.com/art-and-antiques/detail/antique-victorian-scottish-silver-quaich-edinburgh-1884-by-marshall-&-sons-edinburgh/215810

There are similar bowls across Europe, one of the ways to tell the difference is the ears or handles.
I agree with Shangas, your bowl doesn't look silver. To me it looks like pewter, but if it is silver it should be worth quite a lot.
General rule for Dutch brandewijnkommen: you don't polish the pewter ones, you do polish the silver ones. If yours is silver, let it shine.

 

Yeah I think your right about wine tasting but, it is silver.

 

Thank You.

 

Wine tasting bowls have dimples so there is more reflection of the light through the wine. That helps to judge the colour and clarity of the wine.

 

Thanks everyone for your replies, all very helpful. Here are some pics I just took after doing the scratch test. Does pewter show like this ? Also the material bends very easy and walls are very thin.

 

Thank You, maybe this one is way older.

 

It is definitely a small 'brandewijnkom'. I think that is a good thing, a brandewijnkom is worth more than a wine tasting bowl.

It looks like the scratches are yellowish, turned bluish by the acid. If that is the case, it is not sterling silver.

 

I can't comment on the test, but I can tell you that older pewter is notoriously pliable.

 

It is. And Dutch pewter contains more tin than say English pewter, making it even more pliable.

 

Hi ,
How did you test the bowl?
Acid? Magnet?
Unless you are an expert in Metallurgy, I would have a jeweler test it.
If it is sterling silver, don't clean it.
Based on 30 years experience handling, inspecting and appraising sterling silver items, I would be surprised if the bowl is authentic 925 silver. Good news. I could be wrong.

 

Hello, yes I tested first with a magnet, then I got home and tested with my acid kit scratch test stone.

 

Why don't you just use silver polish and see if it cleans up?

 

It will, I did a little scratch on bottom and it shines like silver.

 

It is tin. Tin is silver colored.