How can I tell if a spoon is Silver or Silver plate

British Silver Reading Silver Hallmarks
1

Hi there, I’m just wondering how I can tell solid silver spoon from silver plate one, it seems the company made both , Philip Ashberry -Sheffield , this is a teaspoon and it is 5” long, check out the pic
Thank you in advance

IMG_7897
IMG_78973024×4032 1.09 MB

IMG_7898
IMG_78983024×4032 1.53 MB

2

As this is a British spoon the easy way is that to be silver it has to have a hallmark. This spoon does not have a hallmark, only the maker’s name and trade marks moulded into the spoon as part of the manufacturing process. SIlver makers’ marks are stamped/punched after manufacture.

Generally, though, silver will have some sort of hallmark or fineness indication (e.g. “sterling”, 925, 800, etc).

Anything which doesn’t satisfy these conditions is more than likely to be something other than solid silver: electroplate or base metal alloy.

Phil