Mexican A Ceron Jug

This is a large jug with A Ceron Mexico Plateado?
Everything I find online is sterling but marked as such Mine doesn’t say 925. It looks like something might have been started to be stamped in the center of the triangle (see the dimple) Any information about the maker. I didnt want to put acid on it before I asked here.

 

Plateado typically means plated. The maker's name is A. Cerón.

Here's a couple other pieces by that maker. Different stamps.

https://live.mortonsubastas.com/en/...detalles-de-conservaci-n-25-cm-altura-3677997

https://auction.gimau.com/lots/view/4-7N1VAQ/dulcero-y-salsera-en-plata

Debora

 

This auction house has an A. Cerón pitcher rather like yours. Silver, according to catalog.

https://issuu.com/gimau/docs/24sep09a/3

Debora

 

Whatever you do, Joe, Do NOT put acid on it. That is not the proper way to test.

 

@Bakersgma what is the proper way to test for silver plate if you are not sure?

 

You should use a testing stone with which you scrape (gently) some of the silver on to it and then apply the acid to the scrape on the stone.

 

Since the plating on an object is done with unalloyed silver, there is really no way to distinguish plated versus sterling without scraping deep enough to reveal with base metal. (Which often disfigures the object, unless there is a small out of the way place on it where you can scrape carefully.)

 

This is what I usually do as a last resort and I am considerate of the item when testing and try to find an inconspicuous area for the acid.

 

Good. But do I interpret "for the acid" to mean that you are applying the acid to the piece itself?

 

No If I do the scratch test on the black stone.I will get a positive result for silver if it is plated heavily using the stone. In order to determine if it is solid silver - by scratching deeply on the item in an inconspicuous spot to get past any plating (if it is plating) wouldn't I have to apply the acid directly to the scratch on the item?

 

Plateado is an indication it is plated. Not sure why you would doubt this. Mexico has pretty strict marking standards. This would say .925 if it were solid. I imagine the company made it both ways.

 

I asked because I didn't know. You say yourself that "you imagine the company made it both ways" I wondered the same thing, hence my questions here. Thank you for the information. I now know it's plated.

 

No problem. After I posted, I began to second-guess myself. It seems that the word plateado can mean silver and plated is actually, chapado. I have never seen the word, chapado on Mexican silver. In common usage, Mexican siversmiths use plata for siver and plateado for siver plated. Standards demand a numerical designation for purity on solid silver items.

Standards were introduced in 1948, so I suppose that if this were older, plateado could mean silver of a standard below sterling (.925). I can find no indication that this is the case in common usage but suppose it remains a possibility. Prior to 1948, items were generally marked sterling or silver with a fineness numerations. Ironically, these markings were usually in English. Small silver items were sometimes unmarked. I am not finding information on your maker so there is not sufficient information about their marking conventions prior to 1948. I do see some items where they adopted the 1948 conventions that were used until about 1970.

 

Do yall remember the woven basket thing I had marked "plateado" ? Heres the thread on it ,might offer some insight.
https://www.antiquers.com/threads/silver-folks-something-unusual.38296/#post-634099

 

All the Mexican & South-American silver I've ever bought is very clearly stamped with the Milessimal marks. 800, 900, 925, etc. They're very unambiguous about it.

 

Looking at that thread, you said it was stamped plateador, with an R. This translates literally as plater. I see you were able to scrap it as solid silver. Great for you but I have my doubts.

 

I still do ! But like I said,he put it inot his machine with other stuff I was scrapping and claimed it was. I even said to him "Is it really?" .That being said,he has handed me back stuff I thought silver that the machine said not,so I dont know.