Sterling or plated?

Kliao

This is an interesting one. I got this a while ago at an antique shop for a buck or so because of the British sterling hallmarks. When I got home, I took a closer look at the marks and noticed it was also stamped Exquisite Silver Plate along with the usual British sterling marks. Dated 1976 in Birmingham and the makers mark bring attributed to Exquisite Jewelry Ltd. What do you guys think. Sterling or plated?

Jinx86

I call it plated. Try bending it lightly if its soft it holds a chance at sterling. If its very stiff definitely plated.

Sandman70gt

Not to be a smart a**, as I've been told I am, but if it says plate, it's plate

PerryHall

@Sandman70gt said:
Not to be a smart a**, as I've been told I am, but if it says plate, it's plate

Agree. Silver plate means it's silver plated. Neat spoon and it was certainly cheap enough.

Weiss

I'm in the plated crowd. It doesn't always work every time, but smell it. Seriously. If it smells acrid (bitter, acidic), it's plated.

Kliao

Thanks all. I was thinking there was a chance it would be sterling because of the government sterling marks. It only cost me a buck so no big loss.

tincup

Sometimes a buy like that works out... sometimes not. I've been on both sides of the equation. The hallmarks would have made me wonder also.

ricko

Yep... I would vote plated for sure.... I do not know what the descriptive 'exquisite' denotes....Perhaps someone can clarify that term. Cheers, RickO

Kliao

@ricko said:
Yep... I would vote plated for sure.... I do not know what the descriptive 'exquisite' denotes....Perhaps someone can clarify that term. Cheers, RickO

I would guess it's part of the name of the company as the oval park after it is a registered mark to exquisite jewelry Ltd.

asheland

Sterling. 100% sure. The Birmingham hallmarks make it a certainty. The term "plate" is an old term for silver wares in general. An old term, and unusual to see like this.

asheland

You’ll see it used in older references... I quickly found an example:

The term was used referring to plates, like a dinner plate, and they called all silver “wares” plate. They even called the cupboard for silver a “Plate Cupboard”

Kliao

@asheland Really neat info. Thanks! I'll see if I can get it tested using an XRF to confirm if it's sterling or not.

asheland

It’ll turn out good. 👍

USASoccer

Plate

Aethelred

If Asheland says it is sterling, it is sterling, period!

Sandman70gt

LIBCM hallmarks, them are sterling.