Silver made in Germany or silverplated?

[Marc]

Hi all,

I have had this large (8.5" long) and heavy (219 grams / pair) fork and spoon hanging around the kitchen for several years and have wondered, because they are so heavy, if they were silver or silver plated. I have handled British and European spoons and forks that have weighed 90 gms before, but the marks have always been easy to find in "Tardy's" or any one of several British 'marks' books. Neither piece has been used enough to show base metal if plated.

Of the 5 marks on these pieces I understand the German 'moon & crown' and the '950', but the "3 stars" mark looks kind of like Sweden's mark and the 'wyvern' like creature (the bottom mark) seems confusing. The top mark would appear to be the makers mark.

We have companies in the USA that always try to make the biggest and most impressive items they can. In Flatware, Tiffany & Co., comes to mind

Is the maker of this piece the real thing or is he trying to put one over on the buyer?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Marc.

[Hose_dk]

this look like a mixture of marks. The swedish mark is 3 crowns i the mark - yours is 3 stars. And look like the city mark Norden look at this page http://www.925-1000.com/Fgerman_marks_b1884_2.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

but to many marks citymark should be before 1886 crown and moon after 1886.
Crown and moon should gurantee at least 800 silver so the purity mark could be OK.

all in all it looks to much for me = ie pseudomarks. On the other hand it could be silver.

[2209patrick]

Hello.
The three star mark looks similar to one used by Wolfers Freres of Belgium.
Perhaps your fork and spoon were imported to Germany?

Scroll down on this article for more information on Wolfers Freres marks:
http://www.modernsilver.com/Belgianartdeco.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Pat.

[Marc]

Hi there Pat,

Thanks for the information. The '3 stars in a lobe' and the '950 mark, match exectly, and one of the makers letters is an'F'. So Belgium may be the origin of these 2 pieces. Let me post a little better photo of the makers mark. Probably on Wednesday.

Thanks again,

Marc

[Marc]

Hi again,

Here are the close ups of the makers mark (left) and the creature (right).

Thanks again.

Marc