Seven Bar Blues - is this a genuine silver toastrack?

[Rabbi Zvi]

Here is a six slicer - I am afraid that I have only got the rack mark so far as my skills in the WebDesign department are limited. http://hometown.aol.com/zvisol/myhomepage/photo.html
http://hometown.aol.com/zvisol/myhomepage/collection.html

Thanks

Rabbi Zvi.[/url]

[wev]

I reckon it is silverplate made by Elkington, Mason & Company in Birmingham England in 1884.

[Rabbi Zvi]

Does that mean electroplate or (admin edit)
- it has the appearance of the real deal - how much silver is in this baby?

Rabbi Zvi.

[wev]

Electroplate. I have no idea what 'real deal' means; it is what it is -- a silverplate toast rack by a maker of very good quality.

[Rabbi Zvi]

It's beautiful - very ornate and I thought it had to be quality - it's quite heavy for silver but the plating must be very thick. I have read about them - they were pioneers in their field and held the patent for many years. The addition of potassium cyanide to the silver salt mixture made it take better to the item being plated. The previous owner polished it - there were the remains of the polish on the underside of the rack. I will now use it with pride. On another site they tell me W was 1871 - where can I get a definitive guide to such things online? (ha ha ha).

Regards,

Rabbi Zvi

[wev]

I don't know about any W, but the date letter is the X, which, if I could count correctly, makes the date 1883 (the cycle ended with Z in 1885).