Recent garage sale find need help with hallmarks

[tonytwotimes]

Hi all,first time poster,long time lurker. I found a mirror & brush set at a garage sale with these hallmarks on them. I was pretty sure 835 was silver but some people I talked to over the phone say otherwise. The picture below is the brush as the hallmarks on the mirror were slightly worn. Thanks in advance!

 

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[war-digs-it]

Yes, that is .835/1000 silver. The little mark to the right is a crescent moon. Hallmark Germany.

 

[tonytwotimes]

Ok great,Thank you so much for your reply.

 

[diggummup]

Welcome to Tnet. Both of you. I agree, it's silver, just not quite sterling. The German standard minimum is .800. Knowing foreign marks can help you immensely when buying at sales. That's how I scored this tray for $3- http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/g...roman-farmers-commemorative-plate-1966-a.html

Here is a good online reference for silver marks- Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks

 

[tonytwotimes]

Thanks for the welcome,glad to be here. Nice find for $3! I paid $5 for mine and it came out to 400 grams that is with the glass. I put some pics below of my find. I also bookmarked that site,thanks.

 

[05tbowner]

Great find! Also, keep in mind that the handles probably have cement in them. I could be wrong, but with my past finds, about 90% of them do.

 

[tonytwotimes]

Great find! Also, keep in mind that the handles probably have cement in them. I could be wrong, but with my past finds, about 90% of them do.

Thanks,Ill keep that in mind.

 

[Generic_Lad]

Foreign hallmarks can be fun, a lot of them can help you date the piece much more accurately than just a "Sterling" or .925 mark, British ones in particular can tell you the exact year going back as far as the 16/1700s.

I haven't been lucky enough to find foreign silver at a garage sale (well unless 925 Italy jewellery counts) but if you can find it, it often can be worth more than melt.

And whenever you find mirrors/brushes that are marked sterling it is often weighted so its hard to estimate how much its worth just by holding it in your hand so I try not to spend too terribly much on them. Same with candlesticks, those are filled with plaster and just have a thin skin of sterling. Anything marked "weighted" will have the plaster also.

 

[tonytwotimes]

Foreign hallmarks can be fun, a lot of them can help you date the piece much more accurately than just a "Sterling" or .925 mark, British ones in particular can tell you the exact year going back as far as the 16/1700s.

I haven't been lucky enough to find foreign silver at a garage sale (well unless 925 Italy jewellery counts) but if you can find it, it often can be worth more than melt.

And whenever you find mirrors/brushes that are marked sterling it is often weighted so its hard to estimate how much its worth just by holding it in your hand so I try not to spend too terribly much on them. Same with candlesticks, those are filled with plaster and just have a thin skin of sterling. Anything marked "weighted" will have the plaster also.

Thanks for the info!