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 SMP Silver Salon Forums
 Continental / International Silver
 A Surprise
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| Author | Topic: A Surprise |
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venus Posts: 282 |
posted 02-22-2006 05:53 PM
  
Bought some lovely animal figurines marked 925 and Italy. I had been admireing them for several weeks and the shop keeper was tired of dusting them so they came home with me. They are fairly heavy and marked 925! Great right? Well maybe and maybe not. There were other marks which at the time of purchase were a mystery to me. After some research they became clear Yikes! Among the mystery marks was a 3 division sign and a 5 also an R in a square. These marks mean that the maker made the molds of resin or matic and then put sterling over it. Kinda a shock to me. Everyone one else may have known this but indeed I got a lesson. Is this practice of marking just for Italy or is it universal? IP: Logged |
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outwest Posts: 390 |
posted 02-22-2006 11:53 PM
Well, I'm glad they were in your shop because I wouldn't have known that, either. Thanks for the education. Of course, plated wares are nice, too! I have looked at a few coin spoons that a local place has in a case full of coins. They are stamped 'D. N.Dole' and I've looked at them twice now. I researched them and they are from 1810, Newburyport, Mass. That is older then anything I have by about 15 years, but the style is a typical fiddle spoon although they are small bowled, but regular egg shaped, which I hadn't seen before in spoons that old. They are really bunged up, but I would like to have one of them. He wants to sell them (for a mint!)as a set of four. So, I'll keep checking every so often. Maybe he'll get tired of looking at them. I sure would like to crack that 1800 roadblock with something American, but alas, I haven't found a thing! IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 02-23-2006 12:21 PM
The resin with thin metal overlay technique is also the main one used by the more advanced forgers of antique silver objects. A resin mold/cast with thin metal overlay process can give you the smallest surface details from the original that ordinary processes can not produce making such objects virtually indistinguishable from an original in terms of shape and details. To detect the trickery of such things, you then need to get into things like patina, provenance, specific gravity, or even the dreaded destructive testing (a deep scratch or hole in an inconspicuous location) to see what is within. IP: Logged |
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salmoned Posts: 336 |
posted 02-23-2006 01:21 PM
Looks like another case of 'trusting' the marks over contrary evidence. I never understand when the word 'heavy' is used. Weight has no bearing when determining composition - density does, however. On the news yesterday, a reporter said a cloud of a certain size 'weighed' over 3 million pounds - where did he place his scale? IP: Logged |
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venus Posts: 282 |
posted 02-23-2006 04:19 PM
Too funny sal...... IP: Logged |
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efuerst100 Posts: 34 |
posted 01-18-2010 07:04 PM
Actually, there is an Italian Legislative Decree dated May 22, 1999, which specifically creates the marks described by Venus. The marks mean that the piece is created in a resin or mastic material and then coated with 3 to 5 grams of 925 silver. By using the marks, the maker of your animal is being completely honest and adhering to the Italian laws! IP: Logged |
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Hose_dk Posts: 400 |
posted 01-19-2010 12:59 AM
For Outwest dont be afraid to pay to much for the spoons. It does not matter what you pay. Looking you can afford. One day you come to the seller and something missing - then you regret. An internetfriend once told me "It is only money - and money after 6 month you forgot what you paid. But you will never regret when you buy something buatifull" regarding marks - every country has its regulations - in Denmark almost 800years back in time. Marks not for a collector, but today an oppertunity for us to take advantage. You have to learn and learning comes from trying - ore listening to those who has tryed. IP: Logged |
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