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Hi all,

Since some time I have a very old 18th century Danish silver spoon in my collection. Just recently, as I was comparing its shape to other pieces, I have found quite a significant alteration on the concave part of the spoon's bowl. It looks like the traces of some old repair. There are lots of small black dots in a semi-circle formation, apparently patched with an imperfect repair with a size of about 1/2 square cm. What could have happened to the item so that it ended up like this? Can these simply be traces of natural impurity of the silver material common to the era (late 1700s)? Why the black dots? Corrosion? Should I do anything about it or find an expert to remove the traces of bad repair, if that is the case? It is a very important piece and I would like to know what the community thinks. I would be grateful for valuable information. Thank you in advance!

See the photograph below:

Hi,
In regard of dots arrow 2 I think they are traces left after hard soldering repair (I have done it, too). Nothing to worry about.
The problem is soldering line (arrow 1) as if the bowl was attached to the handle at this point. Normally, spoons are not made this way, I mean soldering the bowl to the handle, they are supposed to be one solid piece. But I cannot judge every spoon, you know better if yours was meant to be made like this when compared with similar spoons of that period and country. Or the line is another repair between the bowl and the handle.
Regards

Thank you. :)

Apparently the spoon is one single solid piece, it might only be the reflection of the surroundings that caused the line between the handle and the bowl on the picture to appear.
Anyways thank you for identifying the type of repair, although as you say it is pretty common, I am rather disappointed how people ruin the integrity of ancient objects with such avoidable and pitiful additions...
I have learned a lot of new information in the silver forums since I am a member. And next time I will probably be more careful when buying new items. I was rather surprised by the price for which I got the spoon though. :D Have a nice evening.