Silver Fox Antiques

Unique Original & Restored Silver Antiques

Available for purchase online from Unique Art Online


History Reflected in Silver

 

 

 

Metals and Standards Guide

Quality & Restored Antique Silver and how to determine their ...

STANDARDS
 
   Fine Silver: 99% pure
   Sterling Silver 1544 - 1697 (92.50% Fine Silver, 7.5% Copper)
   Britannia Silver 1697 - 1720 (95.84% Fine Silver)
   Both Sterling and Britannia 1720 - Present
   Sterling Standard adopted in US in 1870
   Mexican Silver (95% Fine Silver, 5% Copper)
   Gorham Martele'  1895 - 1910 (95% Pure Silver)
   Coin Silver US 1792 - 1837 (89.2% Fine, 10.8% Copper)
   Coin Silver US 1837 - 1869 (90% Fine, 10% Copper)
   Coin Silver US 1869 to date (92.5% Fine Silver, 7.5% Copper)
   German Silver (80% Fine Silver) 1888 - Present (crescent mark and imperial crown)
   Scandinavian Countries Fine: 830/1000

COIN SILVER 1820 - 1850

Before 1820 very little coin money existed in America. When silver coins first were circulated they were often melted down and made into spoons, which made them hard to fence if stolen.  By 1850, most coin silver objects were factory made from silver ingots.

Coin Silver is marked "Coin", "Pure Coin" "Dollar", "Standard", "C", or "D"

Base Metals Used for Silverplating
Representative Compositions
Pewter (Tin 95%, Antimony 2%, Copper 1%, Lead 2%)
British plate (thin sheet of silver over nickel silver) 1835 - 1840
Copper 1865 -1870 (Deep Red Color)
White Metal
  White Metal (Pewter with increased Antimony) 1870 - 1910
  Britannia (Tin 91%, Antimony 7.5%, Copper 1.5%) 1870s-1880s
       Britannia contains no lead
Copper was used again, beginning in 1910 (red appearance)
Pewter (Tin 80%, Antimony 7%, Copper 13%) 1930s
Copper/Zinc Base Metal 1931 - 1935 (Copper Pinkish Color)
Nickel Silver (Nickel 18%, Zinc 22%, Copper 60%) 1857 – (Yellowish color)
Brass used beginning 1960s (Yellowish-white tinge)
EPCA Electroplated, Copper Alloy

ENGLISH PEWTER

In fifthteenth, century three grades were established. 
Fine: 80% tin, 20% brass or copper
Hollowware Pewter: 80% tin, 20% lead
Trifle Pewter: 60% tin, 40% lead
   Later changed to 83% tin, 17% Antimony

In seventeenth century
Hard Metal Pewter: 90% tin, 8% antimony, 2% copper
Black Pewter: 60% tin, 40% lead

 

TERMINOLOGY

The term flatware introduced toward the end of the 19th century includes spoons, forks, and other serving pieces used at the table. Knives are cutleries. The terminology used on silverplate is generally of little value in judging quality. Grades were used to indicate the amount of silver used to plate a gross of standard teaspoons. "Standard" (A1) indicated two troy ounces per gross of teaspoons. "Double" (XX) meant four troy ounces per gross, and "quadruple" indicated eight troy ounces per gross of teaspoons. However, the grades were never formally adopted, and only by gentleman's agreement by a hand-full of companies did they have any meaning whatsoever. 

'Quadruple' was (as described above) the highest standard public grade. However, it was not the highest grade produced. 'Federal Standard' was 15% higher and several companies produced at 'Hotel Grade' that was even higher.


Other Silver Dating Guides and Information

 

 

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