Fruit Bowl? Help

[mrm143]

I googled and came up with nothing...
I have what I think is a fruit bowl, marked Sterling 5 4XX

I have NO clue who made this, nor can I find any other marks

It weighs approx. 15 oz

Any help would be appreciated...

Thanks again

[dognose]

Hi,

Without any makers' marks I can only assume such a piece was the type that was supplied to major department stores etc. Sometimes the retailer, if buying in large enough quantities, could and would insist that the item was devoid of a manufacturer's mark to ensure that repeat business, customers building sets of silverware, would return to them, rather than a stockist of a known maker.

The situation can also work in reverse, a manufacturer would sometimes not mark the wares if the retailer was ordering goods made down to a price below the standard that the manufacturer would normally make, as they would not want their name associated with it, as in the case of premiums etc. In the good times manufacturers would turn their noses up at such business, but when times are tight they had to take whatever business was available.

It looks to me if the first scenario may fit your piece.

Trev.

[mrm143]

Hi,

Without any makers' marks I can only assume such a piece was the type that was supplied to major department stores etc. Sometimes the retailer, if buying in large enough quantities, could and would insist that the item was devoid of a manufacturer's mark to ensure that repeat business, customers building sets of silverware, would return to them, rather than a stockist of a known maker.

The situation can also work in reverse, a manufacturer would sometimes not mark the wares if the retailer was ordering goods made down to a price below the standard that the manufacturer would normally make, as they would not want their name associated with it, as in the case of premiums etc. In the good times manufacturers would turn their noses up at such business, but when times are tight they had to take whatever business was available.

It looks to me if the first scenario may fit your piece.

Trev.

TY for the help

Was asked if it was plated, I said no obviously its marked sterling....

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