Erstaz Chinese writing on silver? - or what?

[Ag999]

Recently got this little "pill box" (2.5" long). I have not definitively tested it, but it looks and feels like silver (80%-95%), and was sold as "sterling".

My question is about the maker's stamp, which is similar to others I've occasionally seen on Chinese/Asian silver, in that it looks like fake Chinese writing, sort of a cross between English and Chinese characters. One of the characters on this piece almost looks like a "5". There are no other marks on this one.

Anyone know anything about these marks?








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[davidross]

The mark looks like 紋5. I do not know what this might signify, or even if it is (or is not) a silver mark.

A possible translation would be "fineness 5."

I would suggest looking for clues in Straits and other Chinese diasporic silver production.

Hopefully someone else, or the OP, will eventually provide a more conclusive answer.

Regards
DR