One of the markings that can be found on a silver spoon is EPNS. The definition of this is Electro Plated Nickel Silver. This is usually found on the reverse side of the silver item. This marking can be found on flatware silver and hollow-ware silver. The other marking that is also found on hollow-ware silver is EPBM, and the definition of this is Electro Plated Britannia Metal. You will never find this marking on flatware as the metal would be too soft.
Sterling or Solid Silver - Silver can carry a huge amount of different marks. These all depend on where the silver was produced. If it came from the UK with a set of four or five marks, these consist of the maker's mark, where it originated from, the standard mark and the date letter.
Old Sheffield Plate (this is a very early form of plates silver) - This is very high quality and is hard to come by now. It was only produced from 1740 for approximately 100 years. This process includes fusing a layer of silver onto a layer of copper. This process was founded by Thomas Boulsover in 1742 and suddenly allowed lot of silver items become available for a fraction of the cost. A way of identifying genuine Old Sheffield Plate is by its color.
Some of the cheaper French imports of Old Plate will have a reddish glow to the metal and it is also much thinner. These items don't hold their value in the same way as the Old Sheffield Plate. When you look at it you will notice a very soft slightly bluish glow to it. The way the plating was done originally means that the Old Sheffield Plate will have a seam. Electroplating is classed as seamless.
- The main types of metal are:
Sterling or Solid Silver - Silver can carry a huge amount of different marks. These all depend on where the silver was produced. If it came from the UK with a set of four or five marks, these consist of the maker's mark, where it originated from, the standard mark and the date letter.
Old Sheffield Plate (this is a very early form of plates silver) - This is very high quality and is hard to come by now. It was only produced from 1740 for approximately 100 years. This process includes fusing a layer of silver onto a layer of copper. This process was founded by Thomas Boulsover in 1742 and suddenly allowed lot of silver items become available for a fraction of the cost. A way of identifying genuine Old Sheffield Plate is by its color.
- An interesting fact
Some of the cheaper French imports of Old Plate will have a reddish glow to the metal and it is also much thinner. These items don't hold their value in the same way as the Old Sheffield Plate. When you look at it you will notice a very soft slightly bluish glow to it. The way the plating was done originally means that the Old Sheffield Plate will have a seam. Electroplating is classed as seamless.