posted 12-28-2006 04:13 PM            

Now that I am retired, my hobby is to search for 18th and 19th century antique examples of OSP, closed plate, Coin and sterling that show the craftsmanship of silversmiths prior to the machine age. I also collect very early electroplate made by independent silversmiths who were making these items by hand. I add to my collection those items I find that fit the parameters and out of necessity I have to liquidate excess items that don’t fit my collecting goals. I know there are others out there that share this passion about silver making and preserving this history and the art of these masters, so I try to share what I learn. I truly appreciate the feedback I get from others which helps me build upon this knowledge and hone my skills in rescuing Antique silver from destruction. Sadly, I have had several antique dealers tell me that they have noticed that some people are buying up all the sterling and coin they can find to melt it down to replate old worn electroplated items or make sterling jewelry. Having said all this, I now would appreciate feedback to the following comments and questions which are structured to explain the thought process (at least mine) a collector might go through in order to evaluate a new find to determine what it is. When we examine an item for the first time in consideration of buying it, we use what we have read and learned to look for clues as to whether it is Old Sheffield Plate vs. Close Plate vs electroplate vs a modern fake made in the old style. In this case it is a candlestick that has me puzzled (although I bought it on instinct because it looked right to me at the time).

First the impressed Makers Mark on the bottom of candle stick looks “old” and consistent with the period I am interested in. I understand that after the law in England was changed in the late 1780’s to allow Sheffield Plate makers to add their marks to OSP and Closed Plate (although I do not know if that law had any affect on silversmiths here in America). Unfortunately my search in all my books including American silversmiths and their marks by Ensko and Bradburys OSP marks and (the internet) did not ID these marks. Is it Mappin and Webb or Elkington? Does anyone have any comments on these marks?

[gone from the internet - us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-92442316395819_1931_16567375]

?2 Metals in one candlestick? Picture of candle stick (Adams Period Style?). Note that on the proud points there is some minor wear and we see copper bleed which is consistent with OSP (but also later electroplate). However when we look at the base, we see the lip edge is covered with a thin sheet of folded over silver, one can actually run a fingernail between the sheet and base metal in one spot where it is loosened. Thin sheets of silver folded over an edge, according to the literature, is consistent with OSP and Closed Plate.

[gone from the internet - us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-92442316395819_1931_16522713]

Lip construction looks as if there was a fold here to hide the edges. Is this an indicator of OSP construction?

[gone from the internet - us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-92442316395819_1931_16638613]

Bottom construction with silver sheet separation or wear. This candlestick’s construction looks like it was either weighted with another metal because it does not look like copper but there is copper bleed on the stick; or the base was mounted onto a dull metal. This raises the question of whether this is Close Plate or OSP? If it is close plate, some books say that method began about 1805. Can this stick be dated as to it’s style which some books refer to as “Adams Period”? However the body of the stick shows copper bleed, would they have used copper and steel to make one candle stick and could they do close plate over the entire thing if part was copper and part steel or lead?

[gone from the internet - us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-92442316395819_1931_16616506]

Another view of the edge with the loss of silver sheeting

posted 12-28-2006 05:29 PM            

Second: your piece was made and/or sold by E. G. Webster & Son of New York City and Brooklyn, c 1886-1928.

posted 12-28-2006 07:56 PM            

Note the bottom and the way the silver has peeled off in spots in sheets. Close Plate supposedly started around 1805, while other sources say "18th century. Other than defining what it is, there is really little on the internet about Close Plate or examples of that. I didn't find any info on when that was phased out. Do you think it is Closed Plate or could it still be OSP? Also, the style doesn't appear similar to late Victorian period. My college degrees are in science (medical science of biology and medicine). In those sciences there are usually hard rules and once you proove a theory or establish a fact you can build on that. One would think that the study of silver manufacture would eventually follow the same rules.

Thank you again for any additional comments or guidance about this confusing piece. (PS I used a refrigerator magnet against the base and shaft of the stick and it did not attract as far as i could tell).

posted 12-28-2006 08:40 PM            

Old Sheffield Plate was invented in the mid 18th century. It was manufactured on a large scale until about the 1860's.

Regards,
Pat.