I have a slew of silverplate items. I bulked up on some nice stuff back around 2012. Some sold, some did not. There is little market for it overall, at least from my EBAY sales. Cement was usually used on the bases of candle stick holders for weight, as a safety feature from them falling over too easily. A lot of old mansions also had tunnels going from the house to a kitchen to avoid fires. It was bad enough having multiple fireplaces. A lot of sterling was done this way and it's deceiving unless you know this as to the total weight of the silver involved. A damaged piece has to have the base torn off to get a proper weight. I have never seen this on anything but candle holders, weather single or ornate multiple holders.
Now this item I couldn't find any sterling indications but it did pass the test.It made a nice beautiful very loud ringing sound perfectly.I even dropped it by the bottom carefully a few inches off and it made a nice loud bell.It also has a much different color pattern then the plated items.
Yes it is. When you sell, and I heard you won’t because it’s family, but when you sell sterling you must know what you’re doing as the buyers of such will take you for that .025 difference. Being an antique dealer and a coin collector does have its advantages.
That’s a nice gravy boat and that might be sterling. Did you look on the under side of the handles for a mark?
Thanks,yes I checked everywhere no marks.Im not a wizard but did the old hand test with a silver plated gravy boat and this one felt somewhat lighter.
As a kid we used those coasters in the living room all through the 60's and they were still around in the late 80's. I never gave them a thought. Pretty neat stuff you have there. I prefer my silverware tarnished. Mother had a sterling tea and coffee set. She would polish it once a year. It mysteriously vanished right after moms funeral.
The mounts on the side of your gravy boat makes me think there should be a stand for it . It may have a small cup in the stand to put a candle in to keep the gravy hot.
I was thinking of the same idea,I'll take it to a shop possibly tomorrow for the Sterling silver huge maybe.
You might try looking up The National Silver Co. They stopped making silver and plated flatware in the mid 1900's. Sectional was one of their named sets possibly.