Silver? decorated plate

[TheSilverBug]

Hello, I am unsure whether this item is silver or not, so I am posting it in the silverplate category.



This item has me very confused. If anyone can give me any advise at all it would be very much appreciated! Thanks in advance! :)
If you would like any more photos I can try to get some more. Let me know,
Justin

[legrandmogol]

Hi, lovely plate. I don't have my books with me at the moment but I believe your charger is 18th-century Spanish colonial and comes from Guatemala. It could also be a tourist reproduction as well. I need to check my books first and match the marks up. It could also be directly from Spain, a lot of their marks are similar. If you view http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17644 you'll see a very similar plate with similar marks.

[TheSilverBug]

Thank you legrandmogol. That is very helpful. Now I have a new lead to track down. Thanks to your info I was able to find this post with similar markings. http://925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=42667

And a second with a more detailed hallmark.
http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic ... 23&p=88502

Hopefully more opinions will help us get some clarity on what it is.
Thanks,
Justin

[legrandmogol]

When I get back to my apartment on Monday I will try to remember to check my books. The Leona Davis book "Spanish Colonial Silver" is very very helpful and last I checked it costs less than $15 on amazon used. I also have a book on Spanish silver marks that may help but that book, unfortunately, is very very expensive. I

[legrandmogol]

Hi again! Just wanted to let you know that I did check my resources and it would seem that you have an authentic 18th century (1700's) Guatemalan Salad plate. There is a very similar one in Leona Davis's book and the marks match up to some in my Dictionary of Spanish Silver. I don't know where you found it but I am extremely jealous. ;-)

[dragonflywink]

Just as a note: the full name of the author of 'Spanish Colonial Silver' (1974) is Leona Davis Boylan...

~Cheryl

[legrandmogol]

should an admin move this post to South American silver?

[dognose]

It's already there.

Trev.

[TheSilverBug]

I am very excited that it appears to be authentic, if anyone thinks otherwise please let me know, I like to know if items in my collection are real or not.
I found it at a thrift store, and when I picked it up my heart skipped a beat. I didn't know what it was, but it just felt right! I was so excited I held it while the teller rang it in, so they didn't accidentally drop it. :)
Thanks again for your help legrandmogol!
Do you think it is the type of item I need to get authenticated? If it were British silver I wouldn't bother since I know it fairly well. If so where would you recommend?
Here are the dimensions and what not for future reference;
9 3/4" diameter at the furthest point,
just under 7" inner circle,
0.5 mm thick rim,
656.50 g

Thanks,
Justin

[legrandmogol]

Honestly, I am not sure where you would get it authenticated but you could try taking it to a reputable auction house and see what the say. There aren't as many collectors of Spanish colonial silver as there used to be. In the mere two books, I have on this subject they list fake colonial silver marks but there are none listed for Guatemala and all of the marks pictured look fairly different. Colonial Guatemala was a much larger area than the present country and encompassed most of Central America and parts of southern Mexico and I don't know if they had a central assay office but I doubt it was strictly enforced if there was.

[TheSilverBug]

Thanks also for the suggestion on the reference book. I have just ordered a copy.
Justin