Featured It's time again for "let's play a game"!

Good evening everyone! It's that time again for let's play a game!

Another game for those that are interested, if you choose to play, please be sure to do your best to follow the rules so we don't spoil it for others. Full disclosure, for this particular game I am not 100% confident I guessed correctly, so this game may become a "lessons learned, don't gamble like MrNate" post. Here is a refresher for those that have played before, and for those that are trying for the first time, here we go:

1. Look at the photos for any valuable indicators/clues that these could be good/bad
2. Use your intuition, or search engine skills, or any other piece of info you need to try to figure out if these are worth your time.
3. Consider the following question: with only the info in this post including the photos below, do you have the gambling spirit to pay $100 for the items in the photo?

Here's the ways to respond once you have done the steps above so we don't spoil it for other guesses, please respond with one of the following options:

1. I'm interested, but I'm not quite sure why
2. I'm interested, and I think I know why
3. I don't see anything interesting I'm passing

Good luck!!! After everyone that wants to play has a chance to answer, I'll provide some more details. Here we go:

I came across a listing online with one photo, and the description as follows:

"Box of silver dishware, tea pot. Silverware, cups etc. There is no sterling silver."



Upon seeing the listing, I ask for photos of the bottom of these two pieces:



And the seller provides the following photos:

 

Oh goodie! I love Mr Nate quizzes!!!

I am going to say #2. I'm interested, and I think I know why

 

I'm a total neophyte here, so with my $100 I'd have to pass. It's that I know that I don't know.

 

I'll play!

Firstly, I don't see anything "interesting" in the box besides the coffeepot and open sugar that you inquired about.
Secondly, my only interest is if they are indeed silverplate, as seller believes, or if they could actually be silver. (I'm not knowledgeable enough to recognize if or if not a particular plated item could be valuable.)
Unfortunate than the seller's photo of the bottom of the coffeepot doesn't show the marks well, I'd ask for a better photo.
Based on the photos provided, however, I'm inclined to think the items are indeed plated, due to what appears to be the underlying brass-colored metal showing through in some areas.

Therefore, my answer is:
3. I don't see anything interesting, I'm passing.

 

#3. Not buying. But full disclosure, silver ID-ing is not my strong strength. Also I'm not one to take a chance with $100 on something I'm completely unsure on. The teapot and sugar are pretty, though.

Fun game. Curious how it will come out!

 

This is a great way to get my little grey cells fired up for the day, thanks Mr Nate
I'm in, #2

 

I’m passing on both, not convinced……but I’m not very good at picking judging by past games.

 

Hmmm ,the rim on the sugar bowl looks sterling,so Im gonna say #2

 

Skeptical about so much we can't see. Passing.

 

"lessons learned, don't gamble like MrNate" post......

Hahaha!!!!....NO !!!!
it's 100 bucks....so even if the box lot is all scrap......like that dented glass bottom mug....... it doesn't scratch your overall success rate....!! .... I'll wager..

those bulbous forms.....I thought we were taught that those were special.....

I'll risk a C note of the box......could be other mistakes there too..!!!

oh......& N8....'.Here's the ways to respond..' ......

why thank you........but here's another way !!......

 

My initial reaction was "I'm interested, and I think I know why", but after further thought, I'm going with "I don't see anything interesting I'm passing"

 

Same as Smallaxe. I had a hunch it was a no go and the pictures confirmed it, blurry as they were. Wouldn't gamble. I think I'm seeing the creamer to go with the ornate sugar bowl though.

 

Oh, I was wondering if someone would see that, @evelyb30 would you mind sharing what you are looking at that suggests there may be a creamer too?

 

To be truthful, and if this weren't a Mr N8 quiz, I would take a total pass on this. I am attracted to the sugar bowl but not the coffee pot. And a couple of the trays look promising. However, the seller has nerve, believing none of it is sterling, yet asking a hundy for it! I hope you made out like a bandit! But I wouldn't have bought it.

 

The main photo, just south of the coffee pot. It's buried in there. If this pile presented itself in person at a rummage sale I'd take a gander, but my nose isn't twitching.

 

I would be interested to see how it turns out. $100 for me is way too big a chance to take. So ....... 3. I don't see anything interesting I'm passing

 

wow, good eyes evelyb30, I didn't notice it there
can't wait to hear if any silver in the box Mr Nate

 

I don't see a thing. Was that a guess or do you see something?

 

@evelyb30 is pointing out this SNEAKY little piece that's hiding, I'm looking at it the same as it appears to be the same pattern so likely the matching creamer. Still no clue if my hunch is right or wrong folks, the package will either get here tonight or tomorrow but I promise a reveal soon even if the entire thing was a dud.

 

Well....this is going to have to go under "lessons learned, don't gamble like MrNate for this group"....So there is some value to be learned here; I got the package and after looking everything over it appears pretty clear to me that I got a BUNCH of silverplate, and not a single real silver item to report back....

So while that is discouraging, what I'm not discouraged by is the clue that led me to make the purchase (albeit an incorrect purchase) was actually what I thought it was. Allow me to explain:

In my initial glimpse of the box, I was immediately drawn to the sugar bowl. I thought I could be looking at warn down gilding covering the lower portion; in reality it's pretty clear I'm looking at the base metal after the silverplate has warn down. But I'm still proud of myself for finding a tricky clue, and finding clues like this will always be valuable as I continue to hunt for treasure. So what was the clue I was hoping someone else would observe? When I saw the underside of the sugar bowl, my eyes were drawn to three little indentions. To me, it looked possible that they were the backside indentations of makers marks on the other side of the base. Now I should have asked for more photos on this one, but my excitement of seeing that sneaky clue made me pull the trigger on a hunch...

Well it turns out my guess was correct but the end result was wrong. They were indentations of marks, but clearly not real silver. Here's what the items look like and the marks: