Large Antique Ornate Silver Footed Fruit Bowl?

[KevinM]

This is a recent purchase of a very Ornate Silver Footed Fruit Bowl that measures about 14 Inches in length, 10 Inches in depth and about 4 1/2 Inches in height and weighs almost 3 Pounds.

When I purchased the bowl it was black with tarnish and I could not find any Hallmarks or Maker Marks on it. The Bowl felt and looked like silver and not silver plate so i purchased it to bring home for further analysis while everyone else over looked it thinking it was silver plated.

After cleaning it up some to my surprise I found the S800 mark on it (this has happened a number of times before). The "S" (I think it's an S) is probably the Maker initial, the Town initial or it means Silver. The 800 I know means 800 Silver (800/1000). There were probably other Marks on it at one time that have long since worn off.

This "S800" Marks resembles the Mark for Italy and one or two other places but I can't find one like it for Italy or anywhere else.

Does anyone know where the "S800" mark comes from, when and where the bowl was made or who made it?

Thanks!
Kevin

[greenacres]

http://www.925-1000.com/

This is a silver mark encyclopedia. It may help you.

[greenacres]

It also has silver plate not just .925 silver. I think your mark means S(silver) .800. That's if my eyesight sees it well enough.

[KevinM]

Thanks for the link Greenacres (BTW - I use to watch that show all the time... was very funny, unlink a lot of shows today  ). I frequent http://www.925-1000.com/ among others, it's a very good site and I also recommend it. The problem I'm having  is I see a lot of the 800 marks with ovals, etc... around them but not the rectangle like this one with just a letter before the 800. I'm sure there were other marks on this bowl that have long worn off unfortunately.

[greenacres]

Green acres was my house when we bought it. I loved the show too! I was born in1960 and I remember when I was home sick from school I would watch all these shows, Green acres, McHale's Navy, and Mayberry RFD.

[KevinM]

Green acres was my house when we bought it. I loved the show too! I was born in1960 and I remember when I was home sick from school I would watch all these shows, Green acres, McHale's Navy, and Mayberry RFD.

So you live in a TV Studio Set?! Just kidding...  Yep, those were the favorite big three, oh, and Gilligan's Island too.

[KC]

Don't forget the Beverly Hillbillies!!!!