Expert: Martin G Roberts - 12/7/2005

Question
I have a Older tray I found when cleaning out my grandmothers home.
It has a stamp on the bottom that reads
EALES
1779
SILVERPLATE

Any ideas?

Answer
-

"Older"? I believe this is modern retro design silver plate. It is very common, judging by the number of hits on google. Not of any interest to me, as silverplate is not my speciality, but the pieces I've seen are horrid. Worth pennies. Probably made in Sheffield, England in the 20th century.

Oh, and, you say "sterling" .. that is, solid silver of high quality. But this is silverplate - that is, a microscopic film of silver laid on a cheap base metal fabric. Cheap tat - plated wares are generally to be despised.