How to Identify European Sterling Silver Flatware
- 1). Look for marks on the sterling silver items. Check your silver against these numbers. If marked .925, it is likely newer sterling silver. The .950 mark identifies older and slightly better-quality sterling silver, while .835 is a common European silver, and 800 indicates 80 percent silver and 20 percent alloy.
- 2). Check to see if there are marks that indicate the origin of the silver. Many regions have specific marks that can be difficult to see or read. The "T" marking is a sign of a piece from 1970 or newer from Mexico. Most other countries are identified by the entire name of the country stamped on the piece. A "Siam" mark will mean sterling silver from Thailand, while "Plata" is an older Mexican silver.
- 3). Applying and heating a small amount of French's-brand mustard will help you identify silver by showing how much sulfur is found in it. A black mark will be left if the piece is indeed pure silver. Also, by learning the marks and becoming familiar with the feel of certain metals, you can easily identify real silver as opposed to something like nickel. You will find that real silver is heavier than nickel and that it has a much smoother surface. Using tools such as a magnifying glass or a loupe will help you to see the difference in the various metals and will help you detect silver plating versus real silver.
- 4). Study what marks are on nonsilver pieces as well. "Alpaca" is a mark that will help you see immediately that a piece is nickel and not silver. If brand names are stamped on jewelery, this is also an indication of nonprecious metals or costume jewelry. Typically these pieces are marked "Silverstone" and are fairly easy to identify based on the general look and feel of the piece.
- 5). Figuring out the weight will help you to determine the value of your piece once you know what you have in terms of the type of silver. Sometimes, however, rare pieces are encountered that require the skills of a trained professional. Contact either the owner of an antique store or a registered jeweler, who should be able to figure out what kind of piece you have in your collection.
Source...