Newbie to Your Forum

[BRF]

Hi Everyone,  

I'm not a collector but have a question about an item that I've scoured the internet for hours looking for answers and have come up empty. When I came across your group through googling, I thought one of you knowledgeable folks might be able to shed some light on it for me. 

Thanks for accepting me into your group. 

Best Regards, 
Barbara 

[James32]

Welcome aboard 

[Petra]

Welcome 👍 question?🤔
 

[BRF]

Thanks for the welcome. 

My question is about an item I inherited from my mother that is very old. It's probably of British origin since she was born there. I assumed the set was silver but the colour is a little odd. The marking on it isn't typical of silver either and isn't easy to read. It might be 5LT or SLT, and turning it the other way around, it could read possibly as 175.  

I'm just waiting for a moderator to let me know if it's okay to post and if so, under what section. 

 

[trp]

Hello and welcome to TSF  

[daca]

Welcome aboard and enjoy the ride!

[Orpster]

3 hours ago, BRF said:

Thanks for the welcome. 

My question is about an item I inherited from my mother that is very old. It's probably of British origin since she was born there. I assumed the set was silver but the colour is a little odd. The marking on it isn't typical of silver either and isn't easy to read. It might be 5LT or SLT, and turning it the other way around, it could read possibly as 175.  

I'm just waiting for a moderator to let me know if it's okay to post and if so, under what section. 

 

Welcome
Could it be 925 - which would make it a sterling silver hallmark - post a picture in this thread it does not break rules as long as it is not a sales post

[BRF]

Thanks for the suggestion @Orpster. Being new here, I surely don't want to break any forum rules. 

I've cleaned up the fork a bit but left the spoon as it was. I initially thought the set must be silver but now wondering if it's a different metal completely.  It has a distinct goldish tone to it. 

[sixgun]

If these were UK silver they would be hallmarked. If they are silver and sold as silver, which they would be, then by law they must be hallmarked by an assay office.
They do not bear any hallmarks - so if this fork and spoon were silver they don't originate from the UK.

The quality and general look of them along with the crude 'hallmarks' make me think they are plated.

Edited October 31, 2022 by sixgun

[BRF]

So would the markings on them represent the initials of the person who made them do you think?

[BRF]

Thanks to @James32  @Petra  @trp  @daca  @Orpster and @sixgun for your comments.  

I'm mystified. Has anyone come across something like this before? Is it rare to find no markings but only what seems to be initials? Can anyone guess at an explanation?

[JDHarris]

Those may very well be homemade pieces of flatware. Major manufacturers would have a standardized hallmark as a punch and would look more refined, symmetrical and definitive. The marks on your fork and spoon look like engraved initials. Good luck 

Edited November 2, 2022 by JDHarris

[BRF]

Thanks so much for weighing in @JDHarris. I'm even more intrigued now. 😀

[ChrisSilver]

Hello and welcome to The Silver Forum  

[Agpanda]

Hi and welcome from Sweden!