Yet again, it's time for let's play a game!

Good evening everyone! It's that time again for let's play a game!

Hopefully this will be fun for those that try, If you choose to play, please be sure to do your best to follow the rules so we don't spoil it for others. Here is a refresher for those that have played before, and for those that are trying for the first time, here we go:

1. Look at the photos for any valuable indicators/clues that these could be good/bad
2. Use your intuition, or search engine skills, or any other piece of info you need to try to figure out if these are worth your time.
3. Consider the following question: with the photos below, which piece or pieces would you want to see first?

Here's the ways to respond once you have done the steps above so we don't spoil it for other guesses, please respond with one of the following options:

1. I'm interested, but I'm not quite sure why
2. I'm interested, and I think I know a country
3. I don't see anything interesting

Good luck!!! After everyone that wants to play has a chance to answer, I'll provide some more details. Here's the photos you have to work with:

 

I'm interested, but I'm not quite sure why

 

1. I'm interested,
luv the jug..
& like the way sterling tarnishes different than plated..

 

I am interested and i think I know why.

 

#1 for me

me too

 

I'm interested and I know why...I think the pitcher/ jug is special. but...that small repoussé art nouveau flowers dish is unusual. Is that a separate little dish inside with some sort of loop and wire? What am I seeing there? And the moderne curvy oval one with the folded rim (under the gravy boat) looks different somehow also. Is there a matching piece to the left of it? Scandinavian?

 

I agree the pitcher is special. I also see a dish hiding with a curve that looks like quality.

 

I'm skeptical of just about everything in the pictures.

 

Great observations and assessment of the photos. Does anyone want to offer up any guesses of a country of interest (I’m talking about the water pitcher)?

 

Sorry Mr Nate, I've no guess on country of origin for the pitcher, I just like the look/style of it.

yes, that one looks interesting too There is another interesting piece a couple of bowls below, looks like it has a floral design in the centre?

 

I would do better guessing where it is not from- US or anywhere in Asia. The melon paneling (I forgot the correct term for this), and convex ribbing of the extra-wide lip are probably diagnostic, but I don't know where from. Do tell us, please!

 

Great observations again, and I was hoping someone would make the connection, but it's perhaps not as obvious as I felt it was (or our true experts on the forum are waiting for others to chime in)...Either way, to me the water pitcher screams of Mexico. Beyond the tone of the piece, my eyes were drawn to the style as it had the sum of ingredients to suggest it was the real deal. So, in a bit of a plot twist, I was unable to seal the deal on this purchase (sad, I know)....The seller removed the listing, and upon inquiry stated they didn't want to ship anything because they've been ripped off before. Now that may be the true story or not, but it just wasn't meant to be on this one.

So with that bad news, what's the good news? Well for one, anytime I can successfully spot the real stuff amidst the "maybe's" and "definitely plated" stuff I'm happy. The other good news is I did still manage to get a photo in my attempt to buy these goodies (sorry , no info on the other pieces as I was focused squarely on the big prize in the lot). The entire lot was originally offered up for $70...so it would have been a great score. Based on comparable pieces, this water pitcher would be between 36 and 37 troy ounces of sterling silver. Here's the photos the seller gave me of the bottom (Marked Sanborns Mexico Sterling):

 

they've been ripped off before...........

what a bold faced lie !!!

 

Yeah....i sent a lot of follow up messages. But I honestly don't really know. Strangely enough the original listing mentions that some of the pieces are 80% and sterling, so the seller had some knowledge of what they had. Who knows, but it is always sad when you uncover treasure but you can't get it...

 

someone got to them before you.....and warned them....or offered them $$$...

 

I definitely don’t think that’s what happened. I’ll never know for sure, but the most likely explanation is the following:

1. I message the seller asking for a photo of the bottom of the piece.
2. The seller thinks to themself “that’s an odd request, I’ll send it, but I wonder why he wants that”
3. After the seller sends the photo, he gets more curious trying to understand why I wanted that.
4. He sees it says Sanborns sterling on the bottom; he knew some of this pile was sterling but he never bothered to do any research because up until now he viewed it as a pile he needs to get rid of.
5. He goes on google, he types in sanborns sterling, and his jaw almost hits the floor with the prices he is seeing.
6. He removes the listing, and when asked by me why the listing was taken down, offers a convenient explanation that’s designed to end the conversation quickly.
That’s the most likely thing…

 

it was a good effort Mr N8 !!!

 

well that sucks the deal wasn't completed Mr Nate, but I like that you find something good still came from this
I would never have thought Mexico, so thanks for sharing this, maybe it will stick in my gray cells.
I'm sure you are on to other deals by now, good luck on them
here is one on Liveauctioneers, ends on Saturday, has some dings to it
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/103738590_milton-joyeria-mexican-sterling-pitcher