photosensitive
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posted on September 6, 2008 07:45:11 PM new
I know there are members who know silver here and hope they can offer us some advice. I am researching some items for my sister's shop. She has five, life size pieces of silver fruit. A banana, lemon, tangerine, apple, and orange. There is a mark of "925" on all but the banana. The unmarked banana appear to be the same maker. Some also have a silver "Made in Israel" sticker and a mark that we think is a D in a box.
First of all are we right in thinking that the "925" means they are sterling silver? Can we assume that they are made of all silver or can that mark be used if they are plate? I can not find anything else like them on the internet but did find reference with some similar looking objects to the electroforming process using electrochemical means to form a hollow metallic body.
The weight ranges from 4 oz to 10 oz. Does weight of the silver affect the price? Would it be worthwhile to have the unmarked banana tested to see if it is silver?
Thanks for any help you can give.
 
-----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o
“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
[ edited by photosensitive on Sep 6, 2008 07:52 PM ]
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otteropp
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posted on September 6, 2008 08:07:12 PM new
Hi photo...
I believe you will find that 925 is Sterling but I don't know enough to advise you and feel confident.
You will probably find this site useful. Sorry I really don't know how to make it clickable.
http://www.925-1000.com/index.html
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zippy2dah
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posted on September 6, 2008 08:28:26 PM new
http://www.925-1000.com/index.html
They are very helpful over there.
Just make sure you follow the rules because they are also strict.
If they have never seen your mark they may ask to add it to their library.
Edited to add the link to the rules.
http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10
[ edited by zippy2dah on Sep 6, 2008 08:29 PM ]
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otteropp
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posted on September 6, 2008 08:34:44 PM new
Thank you for making that clickable..Zippy!
I use them quite a bit for research but have never posted a question because of their RULES!......they scare me...LOL!
Edited to add...I forgot to say that I really like the look of that fruit, it is very unusual and would look great in my house!
[ edited by otteropp on Sep 6, 2008 08:35 PM ]
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zippy2dah
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posted on September 6, 2008 09:40:15 PM new
Don't be scared. They let me post there and I'm an idiot.
I like the fruit too. I'm a big fan of fruit that isn't really fruit, beaded, wooden, glass, etc. I've never seen it done in silver before. It's very pretty.
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photosensitive
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posted on September 7, 2008 05:56:08 AM new
Thank you soooo much for the URL. Otteropp! I will check it out.
Do you think they should be sold as a group of individually?
-----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o
“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
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carolinetyler
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posted on September 7, 2008 07:18:58 AM new
There is an Ebay store that deals with Israeli sterling silver - they should give some good price reference info. i.e. I found the banana and it sells for $78, the orange for $90. The 925 mark means it is 92.5% pure silver and thus qualifies as sterling.
http://stores.ebay.com/Pasarel-Israel-Art-and-Treasures
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Caroline
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photosensitive
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posted on September 7, 2008 07:41:18 AM new
Thanks Caroline. We looked at that eBay shop and bookmarked some pages but the orange is not the same as ours.
I see that that banana is marked "925" while ours is not. Also the stem is longer. It does however give us an idea of the value. The price is close to what I was thinking of.
-----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o
“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
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carolinetyler
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posted on September 7, 2008 08:09:25 AM new
It looks like they are charging about $15 per ounce of silver. If you post the weight of the silver, you may want to make sure that you mention that you are using regular ounces (I assume you are using a postal scale) as silver is weighed in troy ounces, which is slightly less I believe - they can do the conversion on their own.
They are lovely pieces - good luck!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Caroline
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photosensitive
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posted on September 11, 2008 05:52:58 AM new
I posted a question on the "Encyclopedia of Silver Marks" forum. My question has had 27 views but there have been no answers to any questions in the Middle East thread since I posted it on September 8. Would that be the best place for a question about Made in Israel silver?
Since we have not been able to find any information on this particular fruit maybe we should price it based on the different and smaller silver fruit on eBay.
I am still concerned about the banana which does not have any readable 925 mark. I have read about silver testing kits but this will not tell us if it is plated will it? If it safe to assume that the four pieces marked "925" are indeed silver?
This is our first venture into silver of this kind and we don't want to describe it incorrectly.
Thanks for any help you can give.
-----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o
“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
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rhpepsi
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posted on September 11, 2008 06:48:59 AM new
photo...
two sites you may have visited, but if not, here are the links.
both contain HUNDREDS of Silver Marks ("HALLMARKS" and one has a good forum
http://www.modernsilver.com/basichallmarks.htm
http://www.silverresearch.org/
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on September 12, 2008 04:12:28 PM new
I have read about silver testing kits but this will not tell us if it is plated will it?
No, but using a magnet might give you some information.
fLufF
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If you're spending $7500 a month on maid service, why only $1700 on jewelry?
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photosensitive
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posted on September 12, 2008 04:32:39 PM new
Would we need to test for silver then use the magnet?
-----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o
“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
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max40
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posted on September 12, 2008 05:19:06 PM new
I'd be very confident that the pieces marked 925 are indeed sterling.
As far as the magnet test, if it sticks, it's not sterling. Not to say that if it doesn't stick, it is sterling.
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photosensitive
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posted on September 12, 2008 06:34:49 PM new
We are assuming that the four pieces marked 925 are sliver. It is the banana that does not have a readable mark that worries us.
Can it be tested at a jewelry store?
-----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o
“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
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max40
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posted on September 12, 2008 07:01:52 PM new
A jeweler would be the person to ask.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on September 12, 2008 10:47:00 PM new
I feel a bit sorry for retail jewelers. They're always getting asked "Is this real gold? Can you give me an idea what this diamond is worth?" That sort of thing.
I would have no hesitation asking these sort of questions of a jeweler with which I had a purchase relationship, but I have never understood how people could just wander in off the street and demand information.
Quite a few jewelry stores around here have gone out of business in the last five years. We can probably thank the Internet for that.
fLufF
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If you're spending $7500 a month on maid service, why only $1700 on jewelry?
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carolinetyler
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posted on September 13, 2008 09:59:07 AM new
I agree with Fluff on this one - we all get annoyed when we receive an unsolicited ask a question on Ebay asking basically for a free appraisal of a similar item they have. So we should know how that jeweler feels. Same for replacements.com when you ask them to identify a pattern so you can sell it on Ebay.
There are silver testing kits - either buy one or post it as it is. Try the magnet - if it sticks to the stupid banana then there is a base metal and means that it is silver plate. If it does not stick it is more than likely sterling and put it in the listing that there is no visible mark but a magnet does not stick - but to ask a jewelry store to give you a free appraisal doesn't seem right to me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Caroline
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max40
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posted on September 13, 2008 12:41:19 PM new
People that live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Questions are asked here all the time, and nobody is obligated to answer them. I suppose some find it irritating that those "dumb" people have to interupt our busy schedules looking for free help.
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photosensitive
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posted on September 13, 2008 02:25:40 PM new
Max40, I decided I had best not respond to those comments even though I would expect to pay for a silver test if I asked for one.
I also think it is not fair to call the banana dumb since it was not the banana but me who asked the question.
-----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o
“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on September 13, 2008 05:31:19 PM new
I think you're a little confused, Max.
Unless you actually get paid to read and respond in the good old EO, the situations are not at all analagous. I doubt many jewelers learn their trade, perhaps even attaining a coveted and expensive GIA certification, so they can set up shop in pricey retail space for the sheer pleasure of giving their time and expertise away.
You wanna do it here, great. I am saying that I feel badly for professionals who are imposed upon by an unthinking public.
fLufF
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If you're spending $7500 a month on maid service, why only $1700 on jewelry?
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max40
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posted on September 13, 2008 06:52:18 PM new
Actually they are similar, a jeweler will do one of two things. Either answer the persons question/perform a service for a fee, or in the hope of future remuneration of some sort.
I do basically the same thing. There are days when I'm the "Dummy" and come here for help.
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pixiamom
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posted on September 13, 2008 07:24:45 PM new
I have never hesitated in giving (and getting) help to Vendio posters. ASQ is another matter, I've received questions like "How did you date this card, it has no postmark?" I used to politely answer, then was bombarded with 5-6 follow-up questions which tried to suck up all my postcard experience by a clear green competitor, not a prospective buyer. I don't answer those questions anymore. They never result in sales. Edited to add, If Photo is not deceptive (and I very much doubt that she is) i.e.; asking to be notified when a matching piece is available, I see no harm in asking Replacements for the pattern. As I recall, Replacements is both a buyer and seller. Perhaps she may choose to sell to them if eBay does not pan out.
OOPS- I confused this with the Fostoria thread - SORRY!
[ edited by pixiamom on Sep 13, 2008 07:36 PM ]
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hwahwa
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posted on September 13, 2008 07:39:40 PM new
Some jewelry shops have geminologists working in the back office and they seem to be rather anxious to see what you brought in.
I have walked into store and show these guys a piece of jade carving and they like to look at it under their machine and figure if it were jade ,if so jadeite or nephrite.
I have even taken the same piece to a professor on campus and same reaction,they like to see what you have.
As for the silver banana,the fact that it is not stamped makes me think it is not made by the same maker or it is just not ss925.
I just dont see why the maker will leave one piece unmarked.
If you are going to be selling more jewelry in the future,this is not a bad time to strike up a working relationship with some established jeweler.
BTW,just because a piece is marked ss925 does not mean it is 92.5% silver,esp if they are coming from SE Asia.
There is this jeweler who makes a trip to Asia every year to buy his whole year suppply of silver jewelry and does not declare them with US Customs.
One year he was caught and the Customs called in the expert,lucky him,he is spared as they are not 92.5% silver!
When I was in Egypt,the local guide took us to some jewelry store and everyone snapped up the gold cartouche supposedly 22k gold.
The guy weighs it under the counter and the guide gets 33% commish on all sales.
Well,they are thick and nice and not all gold,it is silver inside.
*
Gulag-a Soviet era concentration camp is now reincarnated as EBAY with 13,000 rules.
[ edited by hwahwa on Sep 13, 2008 07:44 PM ]
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cashinyourcloset
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posted on September 14, 2008 05:28:10 AM new
pixiamom, re "Perhaps she may choose to sell to them if eBay does not pan out."
Just don't sell to them directly, they offer really low amounts. I have had 2-3 auctions won by Replacements; the amounts were much higher than they would have offered, but not stellar.
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carolinetyler
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posted on September 14, 2008 11:50:13 AM new
I called the banana dumb - not the person asking the question - so ease up Max - if I was annoyed at answering a question here, then it would be my stupidity for answering it then, wouldn't it - as giving information is completely voluntary. Different situation completely.
Edited to add - by the way - did you try the magnet - any old kitchen fridge magnet will do to see if it sticks?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Caroline
[ edited by carolinetyler on Sep 14, 2008 12:18 PM ]
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photosensitive
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posted on September 14, 2008 01:55:12 PM new
None of them stick to the magnet.
-----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o
“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
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