I have recently started to collect silver and silverplate items and thereby sometimes come across hallmarks that I don't know or confuse me. In this case I hope someone will be able to help.
This large centerpiece bowl (more than 42cm in length) in question, I bought from an antique outlet in Bavaria, Germany. It was sold to me as an original piece from the French Art Deco around 1930 and as silver-plated.
As I examined the bowl a bit more closely, what I found odd was the hallmark that the seller refferred to as the Maker's mark, but which I feel resembles a Minerva as well.
Now, in Germany the loth-hallmarking for silver used to be common too, according to which the 13-hallmark could also refer to 13-loth silver and not to the classic french indication of silver-parts in the silverplate metal.
I hope I could demonstrate my point and you guys will be able to clarify, whether this is solid 13-loth silver or silverplate.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Here are the pictures:
