Could this be unmarked sterling silver?

I have two of these I am thinking they are solid or not plated I know they are weighted or were and can hear stuff rumbling around inside them I know usually fine silver is marked but could these be the exception? I cannot find a single mark on either

Any help with age and metal content, which I know is difficult without having them in hand and testing, would be greatly appreciated.

I have to buy new acid and I was never good with the silver testing I always had to use the 18k I just did not want to scratch these if I didn't have to

Thank you very much!

 

Hi,
You do NOT have to scratch them. There are other ways to test them with the "scarring".
greg

 

If there is no mark, then it's probably plated.
Something that nice would be marked. You'd have to test to be sure.
Is the bottom surface a different color than the rest, or is it just my old eyes?

 

Start with a magnet, if a magnet sticks it is either plated or not silver of any kind. All a magnet will tell you is if ferrous metal is present. If the magnet doesn’t stick silver is possible, but so are a lot of other metals.

Next test with acid. I have never gotten the hang of silver solutions either, I rely on 18k acid and it works well for me. Using a touchstone to test the metal won’t cause much scratching. Take a sample from the bottom edge and it won’t be a problem

 

i think the difference in color is the lighting and I had not started to polish that area I do always use the magnet test first and it does not attract at all I'll have to wait til I get some acid I know they should be marked

Anyone have any ideas on age? I thought i remembered seeing something similar that was early 20th c but I cannot find them again

 

I think I see marks (of some kind) on your very first picture. In the band under the top/rim of the piece, there is a lighter color, and it looks like there is something there. Maybe get a close-up picture of that?

 

I’ll take a look in the morning. Ty!

 

I've gone back over it with a fine tooth comb and there are no marks I do see what you saw and it isn't anything oh well Thank you all!