Pictures will help....both of the piece for clues as to origin and a close up of the mark.
Linda C

Linda, I don't know how to post an optional URL with pictures. Can you email me so I can reply with the pictures at michaelmalone@earthlink.net

A while ago, I posted a piece with a 916 mark & the general consensus was that it was Russian or possibly Finnish, but I didn't have any of the other markings you describe. I've never seen anything with a German purity of .916.

He emailed me the pictures....here's the box
{{gwi:1381138}}
And the markings on it..
{{gwi:1381139}}

This is somewhat of a WAG so take it for what it's worth, LOL!

The only sickle I can find in Tardy's (& I only found this by accident because it is alphabetically next to Russia) was used in Romania around 1955 & it represents the fineness of .916. The caveat is that it should be around a sheaf of wheat(?) & be in an oval with a notch gone out of the side. Lesser finenesses are represented by more notches in different shape cartouches. Maybe the German reich mark acted as an import/duty mark (it was used on any silver having a fineness of at least .800 but I don't know when, or if, it was discontinued). That's the only explanation I can think of for .916 in Germany but maybe it's a place to start for more research.

Is that 916 or 816? The frst number is not all that clear on my monitor. Bear in mind, I know nothing about silver or the grading thereof.

At first, I also thought it might be .816 but I couldn't find any reference to that fineness.