posted 01-09-2005 08:25 PM            

I have had a great old large ladle that continues to be a mystery to me as I cannot figure out where it's from.

The handle has "AFRICAN SILVER" with a B inside a diamond between the 2 words, and hallmarks that I have never been able to figure out. I hope maybe someone here can help.

The hallmarks have a shield with a crown and the letters N and S inside, a large 1 in an oval, 2 separate B's in rectangles and an odd symbol that looks like a bundle of wheat tied in the middle also in a rectangle.

Does anyone know what country these marks represent - is it actually silver from Africa.

posted 01-10-2005 09:40 AM            

As for country of origin, since nickel silver is not subject to any quality control regulations or of particular interest to people to whom silver content is important for marketing purposes there is no system as to what marks a maker can use. Each maker creates whatever markings they think will impress people with a pseudo-sense they are buying something that it almost as good as real silver. The term African Silver is part of this ploy - it would be likely that it would have been made some place other than an African country and the term would have been made up to give it a mysterious and exotic aura to increase sales.