My first silver find?! (maybe)

This caught my eye at an estate sale this morning.

I don’t usually buy silver (I know nothing about it) but I have been following Mr. Nate’s posts and a few things about this made me curious. Plus, the lady running the estate sale let me just add it to a small pile of stuff I was purchasing for $15, so it cost me nothing.

The mark seems to be A.Prip (Denmark). Both sterling and silver plate was manufactured by them. But this is not magnetic - so does that rule out silver plate?

Is there something more I should do to confirm it’s silver?

Similar ones are being described as a brandy warmer online. I don’t drink brandy and had no idea you need a special pan to warm it : -)

 

Your piece lacks the assay and assayer marks that would identify solid silver from plated. A least I think it does because the oval mark is very small and can't be read.

You should read through this page of information on Danish silver markings to see if you can tell.

https://www.925-1000.com/dm_Assay.html

Being magnetic or not is not a or conclusive indicater.

 

Thank you. Well no harm done as I didn’t really pay for it. : -)

This is the mark if its helpful. I didn’t see it on the list you linked to.

 

Looks like A P for the maker.

 

It doesn’t have the P that was often on plated pieces (see below).

But I also found examples by this maker of items that are silver plate on copper, so that would explain it not being magnetic.

 

The P was included "often" but not required. From 1890s to 1930s, the 2 tower mark was the indicator of plated, so it could be that your item was made during that period, I suppose.

 

Yes, but it seems the tower mark wasn’t always used. At least according to this.

“If one examines the marks on many pieces of 20th century Danish silver, it becomes apparent that adherence to the marking law was either at the discretion of the maker or very lax in enforcement. Many of the larger firms, such as George Jensen, Hans Hansen & Carl Cohr, rarely had official assay marks on their silverware and jewelry, no doubt these names inspired trust and their customer base did not require the added credence of state control marks. However, smaller firms and individual silversmiths did tend to follow the law, as official state marking did inspire confidence in their customers. “

https://www.925-1000.com/dm_General.html

It does ring like a bell (like silver). It polished up like silver. But it has a vaguely metallic smell if I sniff at it and think really hard (like silver plate).

At this point I think the only way to be absolutely sure would be nitric acid and I’m not really sure if I want to do that (mostly because I have no idea what I’m doing and think I might clumsily get it on my hands or something).