Silver Sugar/Creamer Identification

14 years ago

While pulling out a few pieces of holloware for the holidays, I realized that I've never id'd this set. The only marking (on the bottom of the bowls) is '1004'. I'm assuming it's silverplate because it isn't marked but no base metal is showing either. I'm at work & forgot to measure them, but both pieces are huge - make that enormous regarding the sugar bowl. It's at least 9" tall & the creamer is about 6"; the sugar could easily pass for a small loving cup! Anybody have an opinion about the age, maker, or country of origin? There's no gold wash - just a nearby lamp with a satin shade.

The last photo is the underside of the top where the finial screws on. I forgot to take pics of the underside of the pedestals but they're plain without markings. Almost forgot - the bowl decoration is mostly a low relief repousee combined with engraving, although the repousee doesn't show up very well in the pics.

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Comments (6)

lindac
14 years ago
Quickly off the top of my head....I say it looks like it's been replated and the original marks obliterated.
Does the engraving show that as a possibility?
Perhaps 1870's?
antiquesilver
Original Author
14 years ago
I hadn't considered that it was replated, but I don't think so. The engraving is very finely detailed & well done (even if it doesn't show up in the photos) & replating would have obliterated most of it. Then it would have needed to be re-patinated to keep the correct look. Honestly, I've never dealt with much replated ware, but I don't think that was done here.
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mfrog
14 years ago
Quite often Sheffield plate would have a mark under the finial, but most OSP wasn't marked. It doesn't look replated to me.
The sugar bowl looks like a covered slop bowl, but victorian sugar bowls were big.
antiquesilver
Original Author
14 years ago
I wish it was OSP but I don't think so & there's not a speck of copper bleed through. When I've looked for similar pieces, both in style & size, I always find examples of sterling or coin made around 1850-60 in the US & up to 50 years earlier in England. The problem is that's pretty early for EP, but it could have been made anytime up until about 1915. Maybe it was left unmarked for the retailer to stamp as his own. Who knows????? If the sugar pot is this big, I'd like to see the rest of the set, although it would require a strong butler to cart a full tea set around on a tray, LOL! I bet it'll take 1-2 pounds of sugar to fill this puppy & at least a pint of milk in the creamer!
lindac
14 years ago
I have an engraved silver plated coffee pot that has been re plated....you can see in the engraving that it was done....but it's still nice and crisp....but perhaps not as crisp as it was....and no marks on it but for a number scratched on the bottom.
I bought it at an auction for $17....the owner told me that I got a buy because the re-plating cost more than that....I wasn't sure if I should laugh or cry! LOL!
sunnyca_gw
14 years ago
Did you look at inside of the handles? Sometimes makers marked them there if I remember right! Sure are beautiful & ornate pieces. Britannia was a base & made of tin, copper & antimony alloy, copper & brass was also used. In England they started EP in 1838. U.S. started in 1847 Rogers Bro. in Hartford,Conn.