I have acquired my mother-in-laws
silver and cannot identify spoons
with Roepstorff 685 on the back. Does
685 indicate the silver percentage or
just the “style” number. Thanks
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Any photos? - - – - - - - - – - - - – - - 
“The name on the spoon is probably Roepstorff – likely of Danish/Scandinavian origin.”
“Johann Christian Reinhold Roepstorff (1836-1921) from Meldorf
or his son LC Röpstorff, worked in Kiel, born between 1861 and 1868 in Meldorf.”
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Nobody seems to have yet got around to answering the only question you actually asked and that was: “Does Roepstorff 685 indicate the silver percentage or just the “style” number?”
So I will try:.800 Silver (80%) is the standard for most German and Northern European antique and vintage cutlery, as it was durable and below the threshold for higher taxes. It is often marked with a crescent and crown and “800”. Sometimes 835 Silver (83.5%) was used in older flatware.
A “.685 silver” stamp, found as “.685” or “685S” on late 19th century items is often seen on serving pieces. This is distinct from higher-standard sterling silver (.925) or the .800 to 835 range of wares.
The item so marked is 68.5% pure silver and 31.5% base metal, usually copper. It is predominantly associated with German or Northern European silver from the late 19th century and found on antique serving pieces, such as spoons and ladles.
So there is a very high likelihood your spoons would test out at .685 and that is what the numerics associated with the company name are designed to convey.
CRWW
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