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Hello I wonder if anyone from the forum can help with some confusion I have had over some terminology regarding foreign silver plate. I originally had a souvenir spoon from Oberammergau and the back of the finial is shown below.

I assumed that "antiko 100" was a German version of silver plate. I was happy with that explanation until a friend of mine offered me a souvenir spoon from Bremen that he described as silver. This had "antiko 800" on the back of the finial (see below).

He was adamant that this was silver. I believed if it was a German silver spoon there should be a crescent and crown mark on it but I bought it in the hope I could prove him wrong or find out once and finally about the terminology. I know that there are some notations on some silver plate that tell the amount of silver that has been used in the plating process. Is this what these different numbers are? I tried some inter net research but found no independent convincing information to clarify things. There are advertisements asking a high price for items labeled antiko 800. I am hoping the forum members can put facts right for me and possibly also for others.
Yours
Fishless

The first is silverplate, the second is 800 silver - the lack of a crescent moon & crown is not at all uncommon. 'ANTIKO' is a brand name, most I've seen have been mid-20th century souvenir spoons and Hildesheimer Rose pieces, can be found fairly often with original boxes and/or hang-tags stating whether they're solid or plated (in addition to the marks).

~Cheryl

Hello, "Antiko" is a mark used by the Kohlbecker Silberwarenfabrik, today in Birkenfeld, Germany. Best wishes, Bahner

Hi Fishless,

I'm informed that that the name 'ANTIKO' has been in use since 1959. It is formed from the words 'ANTIque' and 'KOhlbecker'. Heinz Kohlbecker established his business, Kohlbecker Silberwarenfabrik, at Pforzheim in 1946.

Source: Rosen-Bestecke - Johanna Gehrlein - 2009

Trev.

Thank you Cheryl, Bahner and Trev for your particularly prompt and expansive replies. It seems I will have tell my friend he was correct in his assertion that Antiko 800 represents a grade of silver and not a form of silver plate. Am I the only person that did not know that was true? At least I know now, if anyone puts “Antiko” in a search engine, an unequivocal statement is likely to be readily found.
Fishless

800 is to German silver what 925 is to Sterling. That is, 800 means 80% silver, just as 925 means 92.5% silver. 800 is legally the lowest grade of "echtsilber" (= genuine/real silver) allowed in Germany, and it is by far the most common grade found.

100 means the thickness of the silverplate is equivalent to that of 100 grams of silver being used on a "standard plate lot," which consists of 12 place forks and 12 place spoons. I've seen silverplate pieces stamped from 40 to 150, but 90 is pretty much the standard, and it's by far the most common, so 100 is a step up. The older a piece of German silverplate is, the more you appreciate the value the thicker plating.

Thank you DianaGaleM for your added imput, particularly for consolidating those points I had remembered about some continental silver plating methods.
Fishless

Another example of the Antiko 800 mark:







Trev.

thanks DianaGaleM
you have clarified the difference between 90, 100 and 800 german marks.
i never understood before.

Hi,

Welcome to the Forum.

See: http://www.925-1000.com/a_platenumbers.html

Trev.

I have a related question. I purchased some silver tongs within a box marked Antiko, but am not finding any other marks on the piece except 17M stamped on both sides of the paddles as they connect to the handles. Does anyone know the significance of that mark? I'm also wondering if I have 800 silver or silver plate. Thanks in advance for your help!

Hi,

Welcome to the Forum.

Please start a new topic with images of your item and the marks.

Trev.

dognose wrote:Hi,

Welcome to the Forum.

Please start a new topic with images of your item and the marks.

Trev.

Thanks, Trev. I keep looking for the new topic option, but am not finding it. Might you direct me? Thanks.

Hi,

Just click on the suitable section of the forum and then you will see a box, 'New Topic', click on that and away you go.

Trev.

H. Kohlbecker - Pforzheim - 1969

ANTIKO - SILBERWARENFABRIK

Trev.

silver lover wrote: ↑Tue Feb 15, 2022 1:48 pm I have a related question. I purchased some silver tongs within a box marked Antiko, but am not finding any other marks on the piece except 17M stamped on both sides of the paddles as they connect to the handles. Does anyone know the significance of that mark? I'm also wondering if I have 800 silver or silver plate. Thanks in advance for your help!

I also recently acquired some silverware after my grandmother passed. It also has the same rose design with “Anitico” 17m on the back. I’m guessing it’s plated?

Hi,

Welcome to the Forum.

Please start a new topic with images of your item and the marks.

Trev.