This authentic? I haven’t weighed it but feels like 4 lbs, if it is real would it be any more valuable than melt? The set of hallmarks are same on base and lid, handle has an additional stand alone lion.
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It all looks to be proper. The hallmark is for London, 1808/1809, and the BS/IS maker’s mark is for the brothers Benjamin Smith II and James Smith III. They made pieces for Rundell, Bridge, and Rundell.
At a glance it looks to be in good condition, so get out the silver polish and see if you can gently bring it back to life.
Certainly not something for the scrap metal dealer. The market right now is pretty tough, but I’d guess that it would bring at least ond-and-a-half times the “melt value” (weight x spot price of silver x 0.925).
ETA: BTW, the matching hallmarks on base and lid, coupled with the additional lion passant on the handle, increase one’s confidence in the piece’s righteousness. 
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Here are a couple of “lookup” links. The date letters ran from mid-year to the middle of following year, so the N would be mid-1808 to mid-1809. That works correctly for the maker’s mark, which was registered in February 1809.
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Appreciate it, I liked the way it looked originally and thought for 40 bucks if it is silver I won today. Think the only way to completely verify authenticity is finding someone with an XRF.
With hallmarks that clear and unambiguous, there’s virtually no chance that it would be a fake. Weigh that sucker - I’m guessing you’re several grand ahead of the game!
I want to go shopping with you. 
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Mothers mag and aluminum polish safe for it? Any recommendations?
NO!!!
Far too aggressive - you could ruin the piece. Get some true silver polish.
No dips, no “magic tricks” involving aluminum foil and baking soda. The less abrasive the polish, the better. And this piece doesn’t look as if it’s covered with the grime of centuries, so it should respond very well to very gentle polishing.
https://www.silversmithing.com/silver/care.htm#Cleaning%20Silver
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The spot price of silver today is $2.11 per gram, so the melt value of that baby works out to roughly $4000. Assuming no damage (dings, dents, scratches), it should auction for something well north of that.
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Guess I’m going back to that spot to see if there is any more
Tough to find similar pieces selling at auction recently. Older auction results don’t tell us much, because the spot price of silver a couple of years ago was half what it is now. And earlier this year, it was touching the $3 mark. Volatile market.
But here’s one:
Sold earlier this year for about $5000, including commission (in U.S. dollars - the auction was in Australia). On the one hand, not as heavy as yours, but on the other hand, made by Paul Storr, a legendary silversmith. And results in the traditional auction houses qualify as “wholesale.”
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Maybe I turn into candy dish and let it ride.
I think I’m beginning to hate you. 
Then again, if you need someplace to put this dish while you contemplate your future course of action, I’d be happy to take care of it. How far from New York are you?
Nashville TN but I frequent blackwood NJ time to time
That’s better!
Let us know if Christie’s isn’t interested - the biggest auction houses sometimes get picky about what they want to sell. There are other, smaller auction houses that might do just as well. And frankly, selling it yourself on eBay might net you the most cash. Auction houses take a huge cut.
It would indeed be excellent to find another the same. Typically these entree dishes were sold in pairs or fours. I have seen sets of six.
If I may add a small addendum to Jeff’s excellent advice to you, get an old tooth brush and. some warm water and dish soap and clean the gunk out of the gadrooning or edge pattern. It is an accumulation of several decades of combined silver polish and grease.
Also there will be either a number or letter on the underside of the lid lip and hopefully a matching in number on the bottom dish. If they match excellent, If they don’t, that means Uncle Fred has divvied up the set and mixed lids and tops. It’s not fatal to value but has an effect as Christies will undoubtably tell you.
Here’s another by Ben Smith which may be of interest.
CRWW
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Worth noting that the other Benjamin Smith dish (in this case, somewhat later, and by Benjamin Smith III, rather than II), roughly comparable in size to the one we’re talking about, sold in 2014 for £1000, or about $1320. With buyer’s premium, that brings it to roughly $1650. But the spot price of silver in 2014 was less than a third of what it is today. Adjust accordingly!
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I’m leaning more twords keeping it, after commission and taxes I don’t that I don’t want to pay… it would serve me better as a piece to build off of. Guess it’s uranium glass and silver I’m looking for now
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