Does this look like silver?

I've had this awhile too. It's about 5 inch long and has a lion on top of handle. It looks like it could have a mark on the back but there's no way to make it out. I have looked through loupe still not seeing it. Does it look like silver? Magnet not sticking. THANKS

 

I'm no silver expert but lack of knowledge never stops me from posting anyway. I vote not silver because unless you used some unusual lighting for the photo, the color is more yellow than sterling silver should be. Also the casting isn't very good. So I suspect that this is a souvenir item as opposed to fine dinnerware, and it is made of one of the many different imitation silver alloys.

 

No, it's white metal. I have the exact same and about ten others of varying sizes. Half of them make a nice grouping on the wall, centered by a 6x11 soldier chocolate mold.
Back of yours says Italy.
Collectible, but won't buy you a new car. Maybe $3, $4 each on a decent day.

 

Thanks yeah that's what I thought!! It will go in my next yard sale

 

Definitely Italian, probably 20th century and unlikely to be solid silver (without a fineness mark anywhere.) Came as part of a 5 or 6 piece set of similar small utensils. Souvenir item but can't tell which city this one represents.

 

I would like to know what it says on the back of the fork



Adding:
If it says Italy, then silver plate.
If it says 835, then a lower quality silver.

 

I love that background - it looks like hand-tinted photo of ...green oatmeal - very retro

 

Souvenir of Perugia.

Debora

 

Debora nailed the location, the provence of Perigia in the Umbria region of Italy. The finial is the symbol, coat of arms, of Perugia. I doubt any silver content. The Spoon Planet site says the souvenir figural spoons out of Italy

"... are made from a cheap form of pewter and were imported into the USA in very large quantities after World War ll. These spoons are NOT old (despite the way they look) and they are NOT valuable (just a few dollars each)."

Here are the spoons. Note the one on the left has the same finial as your serving fork. Like Baker said, these souvenir figural pieces, spoons and serving pieces, came in sets. I have a set of 6 spoons.
http://spoonplanet.com/italpewter.html

Nowww there are Italy made silver spoons marked with "800."

--- Susan

 

Here is a set of serving pieces. The fork has the same figural finial as yours, but believe the handle design is different.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ita...005465?hash=item2a5ffc6f19:g:3poAAOSwlV9WSTyi

--- Susan

 

Susan and Deborah. Thanks for adding to my education also. When I decided I wanted do something with them in the kitchen I studied them closely and first thought - and hope - was pewter, but decided more like ** whats the word I want, speltzer???? or white metal.
I do remember that last site with the Italy after war explanation but continued ruling out pewter.

I'll give one quick try to post some pics. They could use some polishing.
The large round one on the right is embossed Silver Plate. The identical to Roger's on the left says ITALY in that small indentation. Funny, didn't know I had a duplicate, exact. In next pic.

~

 

The next pic is the 2nd duplicate of Roger's and 3 I'll call Square Top. Those came in a small box with other Italy pieces. The square all say, on the back, Montagnani above Italy above White Metal.
~

 

For Pat and. Duplicate of Roger's. No other markings and same metal as others.
~

 

TOG, you certainly have a collection of Italian figural finial flatware.

>ITALY in that small indentation<

That was what I suspected. I could make out the "ly," but not certain of the other letters. The figural finials can be symbols of different provinces, cities, Roman notables, centurions, etc... Venice spoons are usually topped with a winged lion or a gondola. Florence is sometimes depicted with the fleu-de-lis (lily) or a lion with a paw resting on a shield with a lily. Capri depicted with a goat. Perugia by a winged griffin or lion. The Romans called Capri "Goat Island."

I doubt any of the flatware is made of spelter. More likely cheap pewter, a nickel copper alloy such as nickel silver, alpacca, German silver, a white metal, etc...

--- Susan

 

WOW Thanks.... wish I had all them I just have one. LOLOLOL

 

OK, Susan, Pat and Roger.

First, thanks for spelter. But even that one's sporting a nice red line under it indicating it's not in the dictionary for my post. I'll add it.

I'm not collecting the stuff. Bought a box of them for $3.00 at a tag sale some years ago. Then, thinking I was collecting them, a lady friend gave me the one on the left of the chocolate mould. Not showing well there, it's a serving spoon and has a big cupid in the middle. It was a Valentine gift. It is neat, I like it. and she visited often, so I didn't want to toss it. Finally got the idea of putting some up on the wall.

So let me know, Roger, if you want to start a very interesting collection.