Help with Asian Marks

[mgignilliat]

Hi - A friend gave me 4 bracelets from Thailand a while back. This is one of the four. Not sure if the mark is Thai or Chinese or ??? Any insight would be helpful. Many thanks!

[davidross]

There are two strings of Chinese characters here, but no silver mark.

The form of the bracelet looks very much like one posted here a few years back, and much like the bracelets that began popping up in the marketplace when spot silver was at its peak in 2011. Those that I have examined had the same cross-hatched background and a stamped design on the front, and some clearly had copper showing through to the surface. The rolled edge to the front and sharply squared corners at the opening (or gap) are signs of recent mass production, and I would assume that this bracelet is silverplate made in the last 5 years. I think the Chinese "marks" here are best thought of as part of the overall decoration of the piece.

Please bear in mind that this in only one opinion based on photographs. I hope this isn't a disappointment.

Regards
DR

[pyfish]

I think it is a old chinese silver bangle.almost 100 years!
marks is:
巳---------code

？山-----origin

德陞------maker

慎 --------batch

高足色---- high-quality silver

[davidross]

I have never heard of Chinese jewelry or Chinese silver--especially "almost 100 years!" old pieces--being marked with a "code" or "batch."

I imagine I am not the only Forum member who would like to learn more about such marking conventions and hope we can benefit from a fuller explanation, not only in regard to the details of this item, but as a general practice in China.

My understanding is that 高足色 literally means "high and sufficient in colour/form," or perhaps more colloquially, "high quality stuff" and would like to know where and when this mark was used to denote silver content. It would also be helpful to see other examples of this mark on silver objects with definite attributions.

DR