posted 10-28-2006 08:47 PM            

Hello! I hope someone could help me out with this piece of item. My 75 year old Aunt is ready to downsize and wants me to help her unload some items. I came across this heavy tray in her basement. It is marked and looks like silver over copper which made me think Old Sheffield plate but she insists it is just tarnished silver (she also insists her Reed & Barton 7010 tea set is silver). She even bought a book on English hallmarks so that I may find out about this tray. After reading that and numerous websites, I am more confused than ever. This site is my last hope

The tray is a very heavy footed tray with the marks on opposite sides of the piece. The second mark is of two stars.

Thanks in advance for all you help.

Not sure if my pictures will work but if you right click and choose "view image" or "show pictures' it might work.

posted 10-29-2006 02:00 PM            

Reading my post, I realize it does sound like I am here to get info to resell this item, I am not. Although I am helping her "downsize", this tray I found in her basement is not for sale. This belonged to my late Grandmother, and therefore, passed on to me. She gave me all my Grandmother's silver, hence, the English hallmark book to help me identify most of them, especially this "silver" piece. Although most of the silver are in excellent condition, this stood out because it is the biggest piece of the lot and the only one I cannot quite figure out the marks. And as I have stated before, she insists it is silver and thinks I should have it replated. I am curious as to its origin and age to help me determine wether I should spend the money to have it done ( I don't even know where to start with that one). If it was up to me, I'd leave it as is, but my husband and my Aunt, thinks it is worth replating.

If you feel that this is a valuation question in the hopes of reselling, then I apologize for any misconception my post might have given other visitors viewing these pages.

Thank you for your time,
~Marron

posted 10-29-2006 02:42 PM            

Thank you, Dale. I knew this could not be sterling. My Aunt wanted me to have it replated and insured like the rest of the silver. I will keep looking into this piece before I make up my mind. Like I said, I do not even know where to start with that replating business. I figured I better read around this site before I make any decision on that. There is nothing like being knowledgeable, if not completely, at least somewhat, before going into any kind of business transaction, in my case, this replating and insuring stuff.

Thanks again.

posted 10-29-2006 02:58 PM            

First you need to wash the tray thoroughly. Get it sparking clean. Then take a good polish, like Wright's or Haggarty, and polish it up. Then see where there is wear, not just basement storage crud. It probably was near a gas furnace for a long time. Which builds up all sorts of junk on silver. Use a mild soap like Ivory, and lukewarm water with a splash of ammonia to wash it. If it is of any size, you may need to use the bath tub.

Then look to see if you can live with it as is. If it is going to be used with a tea set, much of the wear will be covered. After all, this did not just come from the factory. The tray has the wear and patina that comes with age and use, as do we all.

posted 10-30-2006 10:18 AM            

Another thing to consider is there are different kinds of silver plating. Someone would need to examine your platter up close to be sure, but if it is the original Sheffield type of plating it would be a sandwich of thin sheets of silver fused to a thick core sheet of copper. This can not be repaired in the original style by any replating company. All that can be done by a replater is "electro-plating" which is where it is dipped into a liquid that has some silver in it and pass an electric current through the object that causes silver molecules to come out of the liquid solution and deposit onto the metal object.

Replating is what you do with silver plated objects that have had so much wear that the silver plating layer on top of the base metal has worn off. As was mentioned above, some wear is considered by many to be a part of an old object's patina and charm. It is all a matter of personal taste, however, as to whether you appreciate this or whether you prefer something that is shiney and new looking. Unless an object is of historical significance there is no right or wrong. If you want to replate it, the cost should not be a factor in terms of "is it worth it" since from a purely resale aspect replating of anything is rarely economically advantageous. Rather it should be a matter of does the object have such non-commercial value to you (such as sentimental value or your appreciation of its unique beauty) to the point of your being willing to pay the typically fairly high cost to have it replated.

posted 10-30-2006 02:33 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Kimo:
You mention that she is hounding you to replate it and that she insists it is sterling. One does not replate sterling. Sterling means it is 92.5% pure silver through and through. Adding another layer of 92.5% silver on top of this would accomplish nothing other than to slightly reduce the sharpness of any engraving or raised designs.

Another thing to consider is there are different kinds of silver plating. Someone would need to examine your platter up close to be sure, but if it is the original Sheffield type of plating it would be a sandwich of thin sheets of silver fused to a thick core sheet of copper. This can not be repaired in the original style by any replating company. All that can be done by a replater is "electro-plating" which is where it is dipped into a liquid that has some silver in it and pass an electric current through the object that causes silver molecules to come out of the liquid solution and deposit onto the metal object.

Replating is what you do with silver plated objects that have had so much wear that the silver plating layer on top of the base metal has worn off. As was mentioned above, some wear is considered by many to be a part of an old object's patina and charm. It is all a matter of personal taste, however, as to whether you appreciate this or whether you prefer something that is shiney and new looking. Unless an object is of historical significance there is no right or wrong. If you want to replate it, the cost should not be a factor in terms of "is it worth it" since from a purely resale aspect replating of anything is rarely economically advantageous. Rather it should be a matter of does the object have such non-commercial value to you (such as sentimental value or your appreciation of its unique beauty) to the point of your being willing to pay the typically fairly high cost to have it replated.

[This message has been edited by Kimo (edited 10-30-2006).]

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Hello Kimo! Thank you for your inout on this. I do not know anything about silver at all. and the only knowledge I have is from what I read and apparently, I have not read enough.

My Aunt, just cannot fathom the idea that what she had and bragged about as a "very heavy silver platter" is not at all sterling. And apparently, she does not know much about silver either because if she did, she would also know that you do not replate silver as you have stated.

I can live with the patina eventhough most of the silver lining has worn off on the top of the tray and mostly copper is showing. I'd like to get rid the "corrosion", though, if that is even the word for it. They are scattered around the tray on the silver and copper areas. I am tempted to scrape but know I shouldn't. Maybe if I keep doing what Dale suggested, repeatedly, I can get rid of those , too. And if those are gone, the "is it worth it" part of my problem is solved for I sure do not want to spend the extra money for that costly replating.

Thaks again for your input.

posted 10-30-2006 04:03 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by ahwt:
It appears in one of your pictures that your tray may have a varnish coating on it. If it does this should be removed before you start polishing. For small objects I normally just put the object in hot water and that seems to make the varnish easier to remove. Someone else may be able to advise whether or not a chemical varnish remover is safe on silver.
Also in the silver plating process I think that pure (100%) silver is deposited on the article rather than sterling. This will have a slightly different look than sterling and may not be the look you are after. Most times the piece looks better as is; as the silver that is left will have its soft patina.

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Ahwt, thanks for that info. Although I wouldn't know about the varnish part. it does polish up well except for that 'corrosion". I will keep washing and polishing and see if it comes off.

Here is a picture of a "pre-Dale" wash Those small black marks on the tray are what I am having a hard time removing. We'll see how it looks after I run out of elbow grease.

Thanks a lot. I am learning so much about silver here and just love reading and looking at what others have especially those "what is it" questions.

posted 11-01-2006 10:41 AM            

Marron

posted 11-02-2006 01:07 AM            

In extemis, as the last resort. Go to a car wash, the kind with the hand held wand. Put the silver on the floor. Spray it with oven cleaner, which is mainly lye. After about one minute, hit it with the spray wand. Rinse, rinse, rinse. I have done this with domes, and it actually worked. It also works in getting the 60's 'cover' off of Dirilyte. This is a 'when all else fails' remedy.

posted 11-02-2006 12:37 PM            

By the way, I'd like to thank all of you who have shared your knowledge with me. This site is now one of my favorites to browse through. Thank you!