www.925-1000.com

Found these two in a consignment store bin full of silver wear. I think these two are actually silver though. Can anyone confirm from the pics below? Best I could do with my cell phone.







I would like to post the larger pics but im limited. Anybody know what these are?

Hi M3roc,

You are correct, Your fork and spoon are solid sterling silver. They were made by Mappin & Webb of Norfolk Street Sheffield England and assayed in Sheffield in 1924.

Cheers,
Steve

Thank You Steve! This is good news, it marks my first real find for Sterling Silver.

Both are fairly tarnished, any suggestions on how or where to clean them?

(admin edit - see Posting Requirements )

I am happy to offer my opinion on cleaning but you will find this is an area where opinions often differ.

Also, I'm not sure if there are restrictions on posting brand names of products on the forum. If so, an administrator will remove the offending text.

As you say, they are very tarnished so i would look at bringing them back to a decent level of shine leaving some tarnish in the low area of the line of the border for definition and age. I absolutely would not take them to someone to have them polished on a buff, as it removes all traces of their patina, making them look harshly bright (brand new shiny) which obviously they aren't.

Personally, I would use a foaming paste type cleaner such as the one made by Goddards or Hagertys( Don't know where you live so these brands may not be available to you In stores but you should be able to purchase online. I purchase in Australia from a jeweler supplier online. There is also a solution available in which you simply dip the items, but I don't recommend this as it chemically removes too much silver, plus it will clean the low areas leaving the item looking too new. After the initial clean, the occasional rub over with a silver cleaning cloth should suffice. These cloths are treated with a tarnish removing chemical and should be kept in an airtight container as the chemical looses its potency when exposed to the air. I use a zip lock bag, and find the lifespan is about 2 years.

Hope this helps,
Steve