I was at the Goodwill this afternoon and picked up this silver clam-shaped bonbon tray for $13. I am not an expert by any means (I just found this site on Google today) and I can’t decide if this tray is silver or silver plate. From what I can find online it seems the first hallmark (on the left) would indicate this tray was made in London before 1820. But I am puzzled by the second hallmark, and the third hallmark (which I thought at first was an eagle). I saw a picture of a similar hallmark attributed to Robert Frederick Fox. Would any of the silver sleuths out there have any thoughts on this item? Thank you very much.
Although these three marks look like London marks they are completely nonsensical because, if genuine they would come from completely different periods and would never appear together.
As the mark appears to be intended to deceive I would treat the whole piece with great suspicion. It may be electroplate or a low grade silver, possibly Chinese export ware.
Phil
Thank you so much for the insights, Phil! I’m glad the stakes for me aren’t so high, because of the item’s low price. Good reminder, though, to be extra careful. It’s still a pretty tray, so I think I’ll use it to hold my car keys, rings, etc.