How to Identify Silver and Find the Marks 

Did you fall in love with a silver item in a thrift store and bring it home? Or did you inherit some silver from a relative? It is a good idea to find out exactly what you have when determining value. That is done by looking for a mark — often found on the bottom, back or base of your piece — and doing some research. Kovels can help. Here are some tips and definitions to help you start your identification journey.

Identifying a silver maker can be challenging. Begin by searching the words of the mark. Look for letters and dates. Here’s the tricky part. Conjoined letter marks are common. The letter in the middle or the largest letter may stand for the company name or the last name of the maker. If you can’t figure out the imprint, just search for what you can identify.

The English have made fine silver and silver plate for centuries. Traditional 18th designs remain are still being made. The English have very strict laws about silver guilds, makers, quality of silver, and markings. The English sterling silver marks indicate the maker, date, location, and quality of silver. They are registered with the U. K. Patent Office.

Additional information on silver marks can be found here.

Definitions: 

Sterling silver is a type of metal compound most often used when describing flatware and jewelry. Sometimes simply referred to as “sterling” or “925.” Silver is delicate and soft when found in its purest form. To make it more useful, pure silver is often combined with metal alloys like copper as a way of increasing the strength and durability. When pure silver is combined with less than 7.5% alloy, it is referred to as sterling silver. Sterling silver will contain at least 92.5% silver.

Fine silver is 99.9% silver, the rest comprising of trace impurities. Fine silver is too soft for use in many pieces.

Silverplate items have a thin layer of silver covering a base metal, usually nickel. Pieces will usually be marked with the words “silverplate,” “electroplate,” or “EPNS,” meaning electro-plated nickel silver, or “AI.”

Sheffield stamped on the bottom of your piece. It means it is probably silver plated. Also, a general term for trays, bowls, dinnerware and more made in the town of Sheffield from 1760 to about 1840. They were made of copper with a thin coating of silver. Early pieces were made by hammering the silver onto the copper by hand.

 

 

 

 

Gorham Silver Bowl

Q: My grandmother gave us a silver bowl that she got as a gift in the 1950s or ’60s. It’s 8 1/2 inches in diameter. The bottom is marked with the lion, anchor and old English letter “G” mark used by Gorham. The sides of the bowl are engraved with three initials and the years 1854 and 1904. We’re thinking of selling it or recycling it for scrap value. Can you tell us what it’s worth?

A : The dates and monogrammed initials on your bowl indicate it was probably made to mark some event, perhaps a 50th anniversary. Silver is always worth at least its meltdown value. If a piece of silver also has sentimental value, families often keep it regardless of the meltdown value. Take the bowl to a jeweler or dealer in gold and silver to find out its minimum value. The price of silver fluctuates, and the value will depend upon the current price of silver, the weight of the bowl, and whether it’s solid silver or silver plate. You should get at least meltdown price from an antiques dealer or auction.