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Author	Topic: Need help with ID
xman Posts: 3 Registered: Mar 2005	posted 03-30-2005 05:25 PM I need help. New to silver so please bare with me as some of these questions may be dumb. First- I would like to know the base metal used for silverplate, I have seen copper, brass, and SS. any others? Second- I have a tray with a name: Chatworth At one end. It has 4 little letters in boxes in a row: EPNS. Also has a hallmark? of a crown, anchor,and a head looking left. Would like to know some info on this piece. Is it silverplate, sterling, some other silver. There is no "sterling" stamp on it. I tried to see if it was copper or brass but I can not tell. I don't have a camera at this time so I'm sorry but no pictures. I know these questions are dumb but I'm trying to learn, I'm VERY new at this. Thanks for your time and help! IP: Logged
Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 Registered: Apr 93	posted 03-30-2005 06:33 PM Welcome to the forums. Start with the SSF Search Function. Try searching for EPNS. The let us know what you have learned so we can help you with your remaining questions. IP: Logged
xman Posts: 3 Registered: Mar 2005	posted 03-30-2005 10:27 PM Thank you Mr. Martin, I now know what EPNS stands for. I was unable to find anything on the name Chatworth or the halmarks? are, the Crown, Anchor, and the head looking left. I also did not find anything on bace metals. What metals were plated? IP: Logged
Arg(um)entum Posts: 304 Registered: Apr 2002	posted 03-30-2005 10:52 PM When you have an item that is marked EPNS (or any other way that indicates that it is plated) then those 'marks' are not hallmarks at all; they have no official significance. They were put there by the manufacturer to increase appeal to the unsophisticated buyers of the time. Today those marks are refered to as 'pseudo marks'. As for the metal used to make silverplated items you listed some, but the most common is the 'nickel silver' that you must have encountered when you found an explanation of 'EPNS'. It consists of copper, zinc and nickel; the exact proportions vary with the type of article to be produced. As to 'Chatworth', is that the exact spelling? If so, I cannot help. At least this should get you a little further. IP: Logged
Dale Posts: 2132 Registered: Nov 2002	posted 03-30-2005 10:56 PM Chatsworth is apparently the name of the pattern, line, method of sales or promotion. These are very, very difficult to tie to anything. Please check the silverplate FAQ on this. Silver can be found plated on: copper, brass, bronze, aluminium, pewter and its many variations, nickle, gold and steel. And probably other metals as well. The idea of base metal is pretty expansive. There is no single metal used in silverplating; there are many. Silver can also be deposited on glass. In very early experiments doing so resulted in photograpy. Plating involves the depositing on some other substance of silver using an electrical current. These other substances are many. Hope this helps some, Dale IP: Logged
xman Posts: 3 Registered: Mar 2005	posted 03-30-2005 11:04 PM You guys are great! Thank you very much for all your help. I see I have a long way to go in silver collecting. Today I learned. Thanks again. IP: Logged

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