Hi, this serving spoon is 8 1/2 inches long and weighs 78 grams. It is marked Schmidt & Feinstein and also has an impressed number 4. It has a strong positive result with the 18K acid test, but I know this is not definitive and can mean either sterling, or just silver plate with heavy plating. The only other test I know to do is the 14K acid dip test that my scrap metal guy taught me, and this can mar the item, especially if its not solid silver, so I'd rather not try it. Does the impressed number 4 indicate anything? I've searched ebay, google, worthpoint, replacements and not found Schmidt & Feinstein. Thanks for any help with this.
It's lovely! The only thing I could find on the web is something referring to the buy out by another. Note it is dated 1893. Possibly a retailer? https://books.google.com/books?id=R...=onepage&q=schmidt & Feinstein silver&f=false
The design of the handle suggests 1890's or so? By then, wouldn't it be marked sterling, if it was? I went through Turner's book twice, didn't see it listed under another manufacturer.
Susan, thank you so much for your time and efforts. I would expect this to be marked either way, sterling or silver plate. Maybe a pattern made as an exclusive for the retailer, and so not marked by the maker?
A number like that on a silverplated piece usually stands for the pennyweights of silver used in the plating. Sometimes seen with "dwt" following the number (which is the abbreviation for pennyweight.)
Good job, Cheryl!!! Turner's book is black and white drawings. I see it is listed there, but was too blurry to see.
Eh, happened to have the 1894 Pairpoint catalog on the table next to me, just took a second to check for the name and a couple more to cross reference dating... ~Cheryl
