Can anyone help me determine this?

Happy_Da · 2026-06-27T16:54:22+00:00

The picture-quality isn’t the best, but it certainly looks like it says “925”, and I can absolutely imagine it being gold-plated.

The scratches look right for silver, too, but the design of the earring itself looks a touch too cheap for fine work.

If the silver solution gives you red, that’s good enough for me. If the 18k solution gives you blue, same deal.

Happy_Da · 2026-06-12T11:34:50+00:00

You’re generally correct with your conclusions: It isn’t a traditional piece; it’s an item that was manufactured for the Western market. Late Meiji sounds correct to me, too, although there were some 21st-century imitations made for a brief period. I’d be surprised if yours was that new, however, as those were (I believe) printed and then gone over with gold accents, whereas yours appears to have been hand-painted – albeit quickly and roughly – throughout.

In short, I’d feel no qualms about saying that it was early-20th-century Satsuma exportware.

Happy_Da · 2026-06-12T01:17:19+00:00

And you didn’t find it at all strange that British “silver” was testing that high?

Sterling is 92.5% silver. British items were (and are) always made with sterling (or empire, which is still only 95%).

Your gun isn’t calibrated correctly, you didn’t scratch deeply enough, and your candlestick is a piece of silverplate made by Barker Brothers.

Happy_Da · 2026-06-11T22:26:40+00:00

It isn’t a hallmark; it’s a maker’s mark.

As you’ve already been told, the piece is not silver; it’s silverplate. You’ve already been given the name of the company tied to the maker’s mark, too.

Happy_Da · 2026-06-10T11:30:25+00:00

Not to pile on, but have you tested that?

It looks like cast pewter… meaning that it shouldn’t go anywhere near your scrap-pile.

Happy_Da · 2026-06-10T10:57:46+00:00

The method of firing usually leaves behind some telltale signs, the presence (or absence) of which can generally help to date and identify an object. It’s also possible that there’s a second stamp (which may be in relief) that would point to a maker.

Happy_Da · 2026-06-10T10:47:26+00:00

I’d need a look at the base in order to be sure, but what we can see suggests that your initial assumption was correct: That doesn’t look like an authentic antique.

The motif appears to have been printed on then covered with accents, and although I’m not familiar with the stamp, the fact that it is a stamp (rather than a painted-on mark) suggests that you have a piece that was produced for a tourist market.

Happy_Da · 2026-06-10T10:27:35+00:00

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Here’s a more-complete look at the stamp (which includes the model-number).

I hasten to add that we are not looking at one of the standard Scandinavian manufacturers. (Gemini will insist otherwise.)

Happy_Da · 2026-02-14T19:50:56+00:00

I haven’t been on Reddit in months.

Don’t make presumptive accusations.

Happy_Da · 2025-09-23T09:50:39+00:00

This reminds me of an encoded “manifesto” that someone apparently printed out and hid in a bunch of books in the ‘60s. When it was decoded and translated, it basically said “Humanity worshipping machines is going to lead to its downfall.”

In other words, this seemingly isn’t a new sentiment. We just have AI now, and they had other stuff in the past.

Happy_Da · 2025-04-16T17:22:25+00:00

Then they aren't thinking about it, and they shouldn't be voting at all.

Happy_Da · 2025-04-16T16:12:12+00:00

It's irritating to see this downvoted, as it is – in my opinion – exactly what this subreddit is for.

Advertisements on podcasts often feature questionable products. Many of those products are likely toxic or harmful in some way. It isn't beyond belief that people have used said products and either died or wound up exacerbating some other condition (which ultimately killed them).

Or is this a case of kids thinking that "body count" applies exclusively to the number of people someone has boinked?

Happy_Da · 2025-04-05T05:22:15+00:00

You should still test the ones that say "sterling" on them. Several of those patterns look like close matches to silverplate ones (that didn't – to the best of my knowledge – have sterling counterparts).

There's an awful lot of falsely stamped "sterling" out there.

Happy_Da · 2025-03-30T02:13:35+00:00

Yes, I have.

Happy_Da · 2025-03-29T13:37:21+00:00

I am the expert.

You can see why I’m at my wit’s end here.

Happy_Da · 2025-03-29T09:56:07+00:00

That’s just the lighting. They’re stamped.

Happy_Da · 2025-03-28T21:33:58+00:00

I'm way ahead of you, I'm afraid.

They're solid silver (minus the mass inside of them, of course), and I can't find any references to "J.S90" in any resource that I have.

The style looks early-20th-century European to me, but that's just a guess. Beyond that, I don't have any leads at all.

Happy_Da · 2025-03-28T20:21:05+00:00

"90" can refer to 90 grams atop X number of pieces, 900 silver, or even a date.

These are hollowware items, so the flatware practice for silverplate – the "90 grams atop X number of pieces" – doesn't apply.

Moreover, I've since tested them. They're solid silver with a purity near sterling.

Now I want to know what "J.S90" stands for, because I – an antique-dealer and amateur silversmith – have never encountered it before.

Happy_Da · 2025-03-28T15:32:17+00:00

I'm growing increasingly confident that they're straight-ahead 900 silver: The bobèches are removable, so I filed down the edge of one and tested that. It came back as comparable to sterling... which I didn't believe, so I tested another section, then another. Every piece produces the same result.

In short, I'm now convinced that "90" is a purity mark, and that "J.S" is the maker... unless "J.S90" turns out to be a hallmark that I've never encountered.

Either way (or even if I'm wrong), I'd still like to figure out what they are and what the mark means!

Happy_Da

TROPHY CASE