ID this plate???

[KenH]

Hello all, I've read the threads on ID'ing pewter, and the wife has found some for me. It was easy to ID since it'd have "pewter" stamped somewhere on it. Today she brought this plate in thinking it might be pewter. Only paid $3 for it (half price of marked). It's about 11.5" total diameter and weights 2lb 3.5 oz. The marks shown are the only marks anywhere, and plate is in fairly rough condition. It melts VERY easy, about the same as pewter would melt - held torch to edge until melted. Does anybody recognize those marks? With it melting about the same as pewter, and looks like pewter - what other metal could it be that melts similar to pewter and used to make plates?



Thanks for any and all help, (I can take other photos, measurements, etc as requested)

Ken H>

[skeettx]

Perhaps, you have silver plate

Lets start here
http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=29944



I can not see the picture well enough but look here also
http://www.goldandsilverhallmarks.co...l#.V37gVBIYG6U

[baogongmeo]

Maybe a previously extremely valuable colonial period artifact... oops.

[KenH]

Well, I've looked over a lot of silverplate marks and didn't find one just like that one. The 95 in the square made me thing silverplate - but there is no sign of the plating left. Most silver plate used a type of brass alloy for the base (other than the expensive nickel used). This I'm not sure of.

I think I'll cast a bullet from it, then cast a bullet from some known pewter and see what difference there is in weight. I've got an aluminum mold I'd started that can be used without danger of ruining a good mold.

Thanks for the comments and links.

Ken H>

[KenH]

Here's a MUCH better image of the mark and 95. From this better look, I do think it's old silverplate with the plating completely gone. Now to figure what the metal is.



Was tin or pewter ever used as a base metal for silverplate?

Ken H>

[KenH]

OK, based on the idea this is silverplate, and should be of no historical value I cut a strip out, melted and cast a bullet. Weight 199 grains. I melted a known pewter and cast a bullet in same mold. Melting temp seems to be about same, and the pewter bullet was 201 grains.

Based on the cast bullet weights being that close, can I safely "assume" it's pewter? The cast bullets look EXACTLY the same.

Does this make sense to everyone?

Ken H>

[KenH]

OK, I posted photos of plate and marks on http://www.925-1000.com/ for maker's marks and got this response:

"The plate is made of Pewter. '95' is the % of tin in the alloy. The maker is the Italian firm Cosi Tabellini."

Looks like my wife scored a NICE 2 lbs of tin for only $3!

Ken H>

[skeettx]

Well done, well done

https://italian-pewter.co.uk/pages/c...ini-touchmarks


http://www.artofpewter.com/

[WILCO]

Great job figuring it out. I failed to read the last couple of posts. Had my answer within an hour and a half. Came here to post. Saw that I was too late, as the mystery was solved. Consolation prize is that I now have a bit more knowledge and I came to the same conclusions.

[WILCO]

[WILCO]

[RogerDat]

There is silver plate that is done to EPBM or Electro Plated Britannia Metal which is a pewter alloy core with silver plate that turns up from time to time. Google it because I passed up several pounds at a scrap yard because EPBM was not pewter, by the time I went home, googled, and drove back it was gone.

Think tin for silver plate that is on a soft base that will bend with a little thumb pressure, which brass or copper won't. Also watch for Zinn which is Tin in the Nordic / North European languages.

Nice haul, your wife did good!

[KenH]

Thanks for the interest folks - this forum is always a big help. While I was told this was pewter by Italian firm Cosi Tabellini, the marks on this didn't seem to match up with any of Cosi Tabellini's marks.

Thanks for info on EPBM - I did a bit of reading and it'd sure be nice with the 6% antimony

Ken H>

[imashooter2]

Nice score KenH!

You might consider adding that nice macro picture to the pinned thread so it doesn't get lost to history. WILCO's research/picture would be a good addition as well.

[KenH]

I just added the gist of this thread along with the photos of crest, and I also added Wilco's images of Cosi Tabellina's marks.

Ken H>

[imashooter2]

Thanks! A good addition to the thread!