Question about Weighted Silver

Hey folks,

I have a question regarding weighted silver.

As I understand it, 'weighted silver' refers to silver objects which are hollow (hollow-ware), which have had a substance poured/injected into the cavity (usually cement), for the purposes of giving the silver object extra weight, sturdiness, and structural integrity, which the silver alone would not have (as it would be too soft and weak and would cave in etc).

Were ANY OTHER metals 'weighted' in this manner?

I ask because I have the chance to buy a pair of weighted candleholders, which LOOK like silver...and they have the ghosts of hallmarks on the bases, but I can't make them out.

I don't want to blow my money on something and find out they're not silver. So what I'd like to know is - if it looks like silver and it's weighted - what is the likelihood of it BEING silver? And not some other metal? Like I said, I think it has hallmarks, but they're very, very worn. I could see what looked like a maker's mark, a fineness mark, an assay mark...but I could see NO date-letter, which made me suspicious.

Please let me know what your thoughts are!! Cheers!!

 

I'd expect them to be silver but I'd also expect the silver to be very thin. Very modest value.

Good silver candlesticks are cast and quite capable of standing up on their own, and cost a lot more.

I have often bought damaged loaded items and broken them up for scrap so I have a fair idea just how much silver there is likely to be in any one item. I never worry much about rubbed hallmarks,as long as I can see the ghost of at least one legitimate element.

 

Sometimes my camera can see better than I. If you are able to take a photograph of the mark, that might help you to see it.

Weighted silver candlesticks can be either sterling or silver-plate.

 

More recently, there are a lot of weighted pewter candlestick showing up. Their marks would be rubbed out easily.

 

I refer to the sterling ones as silver tin foil; they generally aren't worth much in scrap. I've had necklaces scrap out for more than some candlesticks.

 

Hey everyone,

Thanks for the answers. The candleholders are quite large (I'd say at least 12-15in. high). They're $60 for the pair. If they aren't silver, I'd have blown my money on crap. If they are silver, then you think a set of candleholders of that size would be worth $60?

 

If undamaged, yes. But damage is common.

 

Hi AF,

Yes I read that damage on these is very common due to the thinness of the metal. Last time I looked, they were just incredibly dirty. Having thought about it, though, I think I'll pass. For that sorta money, I expect proper silver.

I mean, not to say this isn't, but...like you said, a proper silver candleholder should stand up on its own!!

 

I had a pair of Towle sterling weighted candle holders which weighed 293.4 grams whole and the sterling portion of them when they were stripped and melted was 34.8 grams or 1.225 oz or 1.0349 oz of pure silver (about $14.86 @ todays spot for pure silver) I only paid $2.00 for the pair.

 

At that money you didn't exactly get hurt, but I'd never pay real money for weighted sterling of any sort. I've seen crazy prices on them at antique sales. It always pays to look at them though, and the "silver plate". I've found a mistake or two that way.

 

Yes no pain there and it does add up (got 20 -30 lbs of the stuff), I always look at plated stuff as every now and then some good sterling gets mixed in or missed and I never pay more than a couple bucks per piece so mistakes don't hurt either. It's the hunt that's fun!

 

I did see a nice pewter chamberstick at the flea-market last week. I might buy that if it's still there when I go back.

 

This Gorham piece was $0.25 today

 

25 cents .........wow.....

 

I went back to have a second look at the candlesticks. Made up my mind that they weren't worth the money. Loads of nickel silver goes through that shop. Maybe one day, another piece of hidden silver of better quality will show up.

 

Now that's a DEAL!
Shangas keep checking there is a lot of real silver stuff out there if you just look and pay attention.

 

here are a couple of my finds at yard sales, the Menorah (over 11 oz of silver but worth much more) was crusty and dirty on a dirt floor in the corner of a garage and 4 bucks, the dessert cup holders etc were in a bag and over 15 oz (20 bucks for that one)

 

Have seen some weighted silverplate ones of late and, of course, the weighted pewter. $60.00 for weighted sticks seems too much unless they were huge or were candelabra. Besides the cement, most weighted sticks have steel rods in them.

 

It's a shame that a families menorah & kiddush cups should be treated with such little respect.....nice find though....