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 SMP Silver Salon Forums
 Silverplate Forum
 can't identify a piece of silver (a type of tray?)
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| Author | Topic: can't identify a piece of silver (a type of tray?) |
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Meenie Posts: 8 |
posted 08-06-2012 02:46 PM
  
[26-2313] This is my first post here so I'll introduce myself. My name is Susan and I live in Indiana. Just moved here in January I have some silver items that I inherited and this one is something I'm just not sure what to do with. It's a tray like item approximately 8.25 x 11 " in size (rectangular) I'll post a picture below... On the back it has two sliders and each side can slide apart leaving an opening in the center. If someone could tell me what this is, I'd be delighted. I have no clue Susan IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 08-06-2012 04:31 PM
Hi Susan. Welcome to the Silver Salon Forum. Could you please let us know the purpose of your question? Are you planning to sell this or is it something that you are keeping for your use or collection? Thanks, IP: Logged |
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Meenie Posts: 8 |
posted 08-06-2012 06:19 PM
Oh no, I don't want to sell it, I just want to identify its function. IP: Logged |
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ahwt Posts: 2334 |
posted 08-06-2012 10:02 PM
I think you have an expandable silver tray; much like a dish cross is expandable. These would be useful if you had both large and small items for display on the tray. An image search of silver dish cross and expandable silver tray should bring up examples. Welcome to the Forum. IP: Logged |
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Meenie Posts: 8 |
posted 08-07-2012 10:18 AM
Thank you ahwt! I found it listed per your search instructions. The one I found listed was basically a silver trivet. It expands to support any size hot dish! What a great idea. (Funny thing, when I tried searching on "expandable silver tray" I got pages of the silverware divider trays that are put in kitchen drawers, lol I really appreciate your help, I just had no idea of the purpose of this tray! IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 08-07-2012 05:05 PM
Your expandable trivet appears to be silver plated but I cannot tell for sure unless you can provide a nice clear closeup of the marking on the bottom. Expandable serving trivets are found in many styles from round to oval to rectangular like yours. As ahwt mentions, the expanding feature is to accommodate different size dishes and support the larger ones firmly in a way that a small trivet can not. [This message has been edited by Kimo (edited 08-07-2012).] IP: Logged |
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Meenie Posts: 8 |
posted 08-07-2012 11:19 PM
Thanks Kimo, The marking on the bottom looks like this: The number below it is 8730 when I search I can find Sheffield, but not the P.S. Co. NS part. The picture symbols look like they're from a British coat of arms. A lion (or dog?) and not sure of the other - giraffe? sea monster? IP: Logged |
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Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 |
posted 08-08-2012 08:05 AM
see: IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 08-08-2012 11:56 PM
Hi Meenie. The NS marking would stand for Nickel Silver which is an alloy with a deliberately deceptive name in that there is no silver in it but it is good for marketing the wares made of it. Nickel silver goes by a number of different names including German Silver, Alpacca, New Silver, Argentan, and others. It is made of copper, nickel and often zinc and it looks very much like actual silver. I do not believe your expandable trivet is silver plated since if it were it would have the marking EPNS with the EP standing for Electro Plated. I do not know the company that made it though the two suggestions above sound like possibilities, though it could be another company entirely given the other markings. The photo is a little blurry around the the first marking - the one you call a lion or dog so I cannot help you with that one without a clearer photo, the the marking on the right side that you think may be a giraffe or sea monster appears to be a rook - as in the chess game piece that is a horse's head on a flat base. The number 8730 is simply the manufacturing company's stock number for this particular item. Such stock numbers make it easier for the manufacturer and their retailers to keep track of their stock and do their ordering and such. If you were able to determine the name of the manufacturer and then if you were able to do the almost impossible and find copies of their old catalogs, you could look up item number 8730 and it would show this trivet. IP: Logged |
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Meenie Posts: 8 |
posted 08-09-2012 06:59 AM
Thanks Kimo, Scott and ahwt! Wow, I've gotten such great info here on this piece, I'll have to post some others. My MIL had this all wrapped in plastic wrap so it wouldn't tarnish. If it is Nickel Silver, is that necessary? Does that require polishing as actual silver does? Thanks so much for all the wonderful info! IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 08-09-2012 09:39 AM
Nickel silver does not tarnish in the way silver does. Silver tarnishes because of a chemical reaction between silver and either sulfur or chlorine which are naturally present in the air, and which are found in larger concentrations in some kinds of food like eggs or salt (and some others), or in some kinds of household items like rubber (and some other things), or in natural gas such as is used in gas ranges or heaters. Since there is no silver in Nickel Silver there is nothing to create this kind of chemical reaction. However, the other metals that are in the alloy do react to things in the environment, but not as quickly as tarnish. I could need a bit of metal polish once in a great while to keep it bright and shiny. Also, it could have a coating of plastic or varnish or something to keep it extra bright over time in which case metal polish would have no effect. My suggestion is to use it and enjoy it. If it does start to get dull, just give it a little polish. Also, since it is not stainless steel, I would not put it in a dishwasher since the high heat can discolor most any metal. IP: Logged |
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Meenie Posts: 8 |
posted 08-09-2012 10:59 AM
Thanks Kimo, I do like to be able to use and display these pretty (and in this case somewhat unusual) items. My MIL had all these pretty items wrapped in plastic and hidden away in her basement! Do you recommend the Maas polish? It's supposed to keep things looking good longer, but that may just be hype IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 08-10-2012 09:06 AM
Pretty much any kind of polish that does not have abrasives in it would be fine. Usually that is the big brand names and they sometimes cost a few cents more than the others but they are worth it if you want to keep your things looking nice. For anything that you have made of silver or silver plate, stay away from the liquid dips. All the ones I have seen contain a chemical called thiourea which causes cancer. Also, dips are very harsh on silver and they remove all of the desireable tarnish. Be desireable tarnish I mean the blackness in the nooks and crannies that give old silver its beautiful three-dimensional look and patina that makes it so much nicer than new silver. If you search the Forum on the word tarnish or polish you will find all sorts of excellent advice. IP: Logged |
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