Ready to analyze? It's game time again.

Discussion in 'Silver' started by MrNate, Jul 28, 2020.

  1. MrNate

    MrNate Well-Known Member

    Hey everyone,

    I've really been enjoying our recent discussion on identifying silver in photos so I decided to do another one. For this one, if you are going to play, I want you to try something different to get started. Here's the method I want you to try:

    1. Step one is to take in the entire photograph, let your eyes look over the pieces without putting too much thought into the evaluation.

    2. Step two, now I want you to try to look at each individual piece. Zoom in! Pretend you are putting blinders on and evaluating any good/bad clues that you see. Try to find clues that are positive/negative to support your theory that something might be real silver.

    3. Step three, here's where you start to rank from most likely to be silver to least likely to be silver using the numbers i have below.

    4. Here's a curve ball to this game. I'd like you to try to use a strategy I use. Let's say this listing is $75, and the seller is offering an "all or nothing" type of deal. Assuming you can only see a few photos, what items would you like to see? strategy hint: If I see items that are very plainly highly likely to be silver, I usually don't ask to see those. Instead, I focus on items that I'm not entirely sure on, but if they are real it would be the impetus for me to make the purchase.

    So give me your rankings and tell me what items you would inquire about:

    1.jpg 2.jpg
     
    kyratango likes this.
  2. evelyb30

    evelyb30 Well-Known Member

    Let's see... Most likelies: 11, 2, 6. Photos of 4, 5, 8 (I doubt it but I found one once) No-hopers: 1, 9, 7, 10, 3, 13

    If 8 is legit this is a no-brainer!
     
    MrNate likes this.
  3. Roshan Ko

    Roshan Ko Well-Known Member

    I will go with 4 and 11 and fingers crossed for #8. has the patina which you were speaking about. But doesnt have the wavy mirror finish.

    1,3, 7 and 10 seem plated.

    #13 because it has the glass inserts - it may not have gained a patina.
     
    MrNate likes this.
  4. MrNate

    MrNate Well-Known Member

    @evelyb30 and @Roshan Ko since you are the only two who guessed so far, do you want me to wait for others or reveal the answers?
     
  5. Happy!

    Happy! Well-Known Member

    I like your game rules, but am pressed for time...So maybe those candlesticks seem to fit the bill for sterling? And perhaps 11 and 5? And 8 seems to excite everyone--is it the more flat appearance and mottled marks on it? Based on my extremely limited experience, I would pass on this unless I could get the pics others mentioned above to confirm there is more sterling there.
     
    MrNate likes this.
  6. clutteredcloset49

    clutteredcloset49 Well-Known Member

    I'm in agreement.

    Photos of 4 & 5
     
    MrNate likes this.
  7. Curioser

    Curioser Well-Known Member

    I'd ask for 4, 5, and 11. I'd like to see 8 but maybe the lot is worth $75 w/o it. Never even thought to buy silver online, so thanks for the game!
     
    clutteredcloset49 and MrNate like this.
  8. MrNate

    MrNate Well-Known Member

    Great guesses everyone! You all have a really great sense for these games now. Beautiful job with the analysis. So...I should hopefully get everything tomorrow at some point. Let me start with a short analysis of my own, and then a few photos:

    1. One item I love to see in listings is these little ugly weighted candle holders. It's a subtle clue, but if someone has a bit of silver, they might have a lot. And since the listing is a bit ambiguous about whether items are silver or silver plate, seeing these little guys is a great start.

    2. I'm curious about 4 and 5 also, if I had to guess right now, I would expect #4 to be silver, and I'm hopeful 5 is also, but it's 50/50 based on how it looks if it's going to be real silver. So why don't I ask about 4 and 5? Curioser hits the nail on the head, I really need to find something good in here to justify the purchase. For listings like this, I usually pay a ridiculous amount on shipping, so I need to find something great. If it was local, 4 and 5 might make it enough with the rest, but I need big finds.

    So, what did I ask for photos of? I wanted to see the bottom of 11 and 8, I got three photos back. Here's the photos....so do you think I got it right???????

    1.png 2.png 3.JPG
     
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  9. evelyb30

    evelyb30 Well-Known Member

    BOOM! Come to think, I got an 800 silver tray, damaged, for just about nothing once. It was a Seder plate, but minus its everythings. I wouldn't mind that happening again, but it looks like Mr Nate got there first.
     
    MrNate likes this.
  10. MrNate

    MrNate Well-Known Member

    Hi again everyone, the batch arrived!

    The only sad news, it turns out that #4 and #5 were both plated! The 4 little candlesticks were weighted sterling as expected, and here's the two gems I really wanted. I'm hoping I can get some help identifying the makers marks on these, any ideas?

    IMG_6268.JPG IMG_6269.JPG IMG_6261.JPG IMG_6262.JPG IMG_6263.JPG IMG_6264.JPG IMG_6265.JPG IMG_6267.JPG
     
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  11. evelyb30

    evelyb30 Well-Known Member

    No idea and... no idea.
     
  12. Bakersgma

    Bakersgma Well-Known Member

    The last one with the three-part symbol plus 800, could be from Hanau since a number of very similar marks show up in documented Hanau makers. But it is not unique to a particular maker, so it does not give you a name to attach to that piece.

    The next to last is suffering from either very bad strikes of 2 of the 4 marks or your camera work is not up to its usual standard. I can see the initials R&C in script and a capital F crowned, but the other 2 are impossible for me to pin down. Can you do any better on those other 2?
     
  13. MrNate

    MrNate Well-Known Member

    This is the clearest I’ve gotten so far, it’s tricky because I can’t get my loupe inside so I’m trying with my phone now:


    29305D09-69BD-46F2-A3EB-499C3B0BC469.jpeg
     
  14. DragonflyWink

    DragonflyWink Well-Known Member

    The .800 piece is Swiss by Jezler - still trying to focus on the other marks (darn old eyes)...

    ~Cheryl
     
    Bakersgma likes this.
  15. MrNate

    MrNate Well-Known Member

    What amazing research Cheryl, now I think the other one may have a chance at being Swiss; perhaps we are looking at a bear?
     
  16. Bakersgma

    Bakersgma Well-Known Member

    Any chance that other piece is from Sweden?
     
    MrNate likes this.
  17. Bakersgma

    Bakersgma Well-Known Member

    The Swiss bear stands on his hind legs. The "bear" here (is that is what it is, although I am not convinced yet) is on all fours.
     
    MrNate likes this.
  18. MrNate

    MrNate Well-Known Member

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  19. Bakersgma

    Bakersgma Well-Known Member

    Never seen that before. What is that site? Do you know who created and maintains it?
     
    MrNate likes this.
  20. MrNate

    MrNate Well-Known Member

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