Coffe-tea set. Sterling or electroplated?

[many45]

I found this beautiful set a short time ago.




It was said to be sterling, 950/1000, possibly of Japanese origin, but I wondered about the stamps.

(admin edit - see Posting Requirements)

What do you think? Sterling or electroplated?

[dragonflywink]

950/1000 silver, post WWII Japanese.

~Cheryl

[byron mac donald]

Hi Many-

It is either one or the other and cannot be both see:

Eletroplating: http://www.925-1000.com/silverglossary2.html

Sterling: http://www.925-1000.com/silverglossary5.html

Regards- Byron

[admin]

Byron,
If you mean it cannot be sterling & 950 standard, that is correct. Over the last few years it has become common practice for many online sellers, in an effort to indicate that their item is not silverplate, to toss in the word "sterling" as reassurance that a piece is solid silver, regardless of its true standard. This misuse of the word makes a lot of silverphiles crazy, but I would not be surprised if it eventually causes "sterling", at least in American english, to evolve into a generic term to define "solid silver" of any acceptable standard.

Regards, Tom

[many45]

Hi Byron,
It was just 950 together with the word sterling that made me suspicious, and made me think that perhaps the mark EP meant electroplated.
But do you experts believe this is solid 950/1000 silver? I know Japan sometimes use this standard. Could this be Japanese? If so, I guess the EP mark must be a makers mark. Does anyone know who that might be?
Many

[Hose_dk]

do we not think that this nice piece was electroplated with solid 950 silver.

i.e. pure marketing.

[dragonflywink]

This is a typical mark for Japanese silver intended for the American market, "sterling" being a keyword for those buyers, have also seen several Japanese maker's marks with a similiar diamond shape outline, but have no idea of the identities.

Personally have no problem with "sterling" as a term for any silver over .925, a lot of countries, including the U.S., designate it as "at least" 925/1000 fineness. Not that I have any problem with lower standard silver (and in fact, collect it), but do find it bothersome when it's called "sterling", and the "sterling silver plated" (items are electroplated with pure silver) description just irritates me. On the other hand, have a friend who constantly tries to correct me for using "solid silver", insisting that only pure silver can be called that, totally unaccepting of my insistence that would be called "fine silver" and solid silver is the proper term for the various finenesses of silver.

~Cheryl

[byron mac donald]

Hello All-

I should have clarified what I was saying better; what I meant to say is that it needs to be a minimum of .925 to be marked sterling and would not be electroplated. (At least this is my understanding). I am just learning here as well, but I have not seen anyone use anything but sterling if it is 925 or better. Is there another term used in countries where it is higher than 925?

Regards- Byron

[many45]

I want to thank you all for your help.
I suspected it of it being electroplated. Perhaps we Scandinavians are too suspicious, hose?

Regards,
many

[Hose_dk]

Very likely. I would test it with asid. Just to be sure. But I never like the letters EP. Though we do have a few danish silversmith with those initials.

I went cruising last sommer - they sold "solid silver plated chains" onboard. I was suspecting something similar - but my guess it was.

[liz2008]

To the owner of the 950 sterling with the EP inside a diamond - I, too, have recently acquired a tea set that looks as if it may be just like the one you displayed. The only difference is that mine has Sterling on the bottom with Silver 950 below it and then the EP as yours is. Did you ever determine if yours was sterling or not and where it originated from? I would appreciate hearing from you in this regard. Thanks for your help.