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Question on Hungarian Silver

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Author	Topic: Question on Hungarian Silver
nanoune Posts: 3 Registered: Jan 2005	posted 01-31-2005 12:41 AM Hi, I have a set of Hungarian silver with the Head of Diana on the right side and BU on the left. I mistakenly took them to a neighborhood buyer of silver and after they did acid testing, they told me that the set was not silver. However, with the marking and the fact that the family had their crest in the back of the pieces and went through so much trouble to hid the silver from the Soviests in the forties, I can't believe that they are not real. My question is this, can you have the Head of Diana stamp and the pieces with the silversmith marking and for the pieces not to be real. I also read that not many people know of Hungarian silver, is that true. They have been in the family for decades more that 100 years. They belonged to my husbands great grand father. And if they are not real, do you know anybody who would be interested in reblading antique knifes. The german blade on the knifes are showing their age, hence we use the pieces but not the knifes. Thanks. FYI - I corrected the formating by removing the extra line breaks. IP: Logged
IJP Posts: 326 Registered: Oct 2004	posted 01-31-2005 12:07 PM Hey there, nanoune. I actually know little to nothing about Hungarian silver, as I deal mostly in American sterling, but I do have a copy of Tardy's International Hallmarks on Silver, which I highly recommend to you if you come across much foreign silver. I find, however, that this reference book can be difficult to acquire sometimes (it's out of print), and I've found some individuals asking a lot of money for it. In any event, here's some information from Tardy's entry on Hungarian and Austro-Hungarian silver: From 1866 to 1937, a right-facing profile of a female head, with a crescent ornament at the fore (your Diana, I presume), lies within a shape either pentagonal, hexagonal, or roughly clover shaped. What's very fascinating is that by noting the number and type of the lines making up this shape, you can actually determine the purity of the silver used (on pieces 1866-1937). One straight line equals .150, one concave line equals .140, and one convex line equals .160. Thus, a hexagon indicates silver .900 pure, and a clover-like shape composed of five convex arcs indicates silver .800 pure. After 1937, the profile of Diana continues to be used, but it lies within a coffin-like and non-equilateral shape. After 1965, Hungarian silver ceases to use this right-facing Diana profile. As for the "BU", I assume this is a maker's mark. Is it possible for silver to be marked this way and not be authentic? I suppose it's not entirely impossible, but if it bears authentic Hungarian quality marks, that's proof enough for me. IP: Logged
tmockait Posts: 963 Registered: Jul 2004	posted 01-31-2005 12:26 PM If it is Austro-Hungarian, there should be a letter to the right of the head, indicating the city. Try to post a photo or at least a drawing. TM IP: Logged
blakstone Posts: 493 Registered: Jul 2004	posted 02-01-2005 02:41 PM Yes, please do try to post a photograph of the piece(s) and marks. Most central European flatware was .800 silver, as opposed to .925 "sterling" silver, and the tester may have simply discovered that it was not sterling and pronounced it "not silver". That's why we members of the continental forum spend so much time in the $1 "silver plate" bins at flea markets: you can get some good buys from the uninformed! IP: Logged
nanoune Posts: 3 Registered: Jan 2005	posted 02-01-2005 05:40 PM WOW. I can't seem to get my camera to take a good enough picture. Yesterday I looked again and saw that the Head of Diana is in a clover shape (five side) with a p on the lower right side. I mean she looks beautiful. On some of the pieces she is a little worn but on some others she is a beaut. I can't tell you how excited I am. I also just purchased a book on Hungarian silver and I can't wait to start reading. Yes you are correct about the .800. The more research I do, the more I realized that the tester tested for sterling. Once again, thank you IP: Logged
blakstone Posts: 493 Registered: Jul 2004	posted 02-01-2005 08:16 PM Yes, the "P" mark was for the Pest [Budapest] assay office. How sure are you of the "BU"? Hungarian silver is some of my favorite, and I have several pretty exhaustive references for Budapest makers, but "BU" is a new one on me. IP: Logged
nanoune Posts: 3 Registered: Jan 2005	posted 02-01-2005 08:19 PM HI, It is definitely a BU sign. The "BU" is larger than the hallmark. I turned it in every possible way, it is BU. This is just for the flatware. By the way, the forks are 3 prongs not 4. Everything is quite heavy even the knives. thanks for responding. IP: Logged

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