Re: distinguishing plate silver from solid silver

From: Al (no.spam_at_wanted.com)
Date: 01/28/05 

Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 14:29:30 GMT

In article <3af29f2967453b8875c86ead13da012a@paranoici.org>,
 Anonymous <nobody@paranoici.org> wrote:

> >Looking at some old silverware I see a mark of "silver nickel". One says
> >"solid silver nickel".
> >
> >I am guessing that "solid silver nickel" means 85% silver and 15%
> >nickel.
> >
> >Does anyone know of a easy, quick test to tell one whether the item is
> >silver plate or solid silver?
>
> Although these are sci. newsgroups and you probably want sci type
> answers, if you take the objects to almost any reputable jewelry store
> or, better, silversmith (restoration, repair: Yellow Pages), they can
> probably tell you exactly what you have. Maybe you can get the
> silversmith to tell you some tricks of the trade (metallurgy tricks,
> other than reading hallmarks, etc.).
>
> From yahoo for Hanover, there is New England Gem Lab on Main St.
>
> Maybe you can take them to the PBS Antiques Roadshow for appraisal.
>
>

Are you sure it isn't nickel silver, which is also known as German Silver

Check out: http://pages.zoom.co.uk/leveridge/nickel1.html

If it is German Silver, which is used for jewelry and the like, there is
no silver in it.

Al