What the marks on silverplate flatware tell you
Electroplating was patented in Birmingham in 1840 and spread to France within a decade. English pieces carry EPNS (electroplated nickel silver), EP, or a quality letter such as A1; American pieces say quadruple plate or carry a company name; French pieces usually show the maker’s name in a square cartouche next to a numeral such as 84, 90 or 100. The trade reads that French numeral as the weight of silver, in grams, deposited on a dozen forks and spoons. Treat it as the maker’s declaration rather than a measured value, and treat every mark as an attribution of maker and type, not of date.
Absence of a plating mark does not make a piece sterling. Sterling carries its own marks: the Minerva head in France, the lion passant in England, STERLING or 925 in the United States. A piece with no mark at all is assumed plated until a test says otherwise. Our catalogue page on silver-plated flatware follows that rule: name the mark that is present, describe the wear, and leave the date open.
How to read wear on plated pieces
Silver wears off the points that touch the table and the mouth first: the backs of fork tines, the rim of a spoon bowl, the bolster of a knife. Worn plate shows a warm yellow-gray where nickel silver appears, or a pink tone where the base is copper or brass. A thin patch on the back of a fork is cosmetic; bare metal inside a spoon bowl changes the taste and is a reason to pass or to re-plate. Re-plating is possible at an electroplating workshop, but it usually costs more than the piece unless the pattern is rare or the set is large.
Knives are a separate check. Many old handles are hollow silverplate filled with pitch, with a steel blade cemented in; hot water softens the pitch and the blade turns or drops out. Bent tines and split bowls can be corrected by a silversmith; dents in hollow handles rarely can. The Canadian Conservation Institute recommends mild polishes and soft cloths for silver and plated surfaces, and every polish removes a little metal: on plate, aggressive cleaning is the fastest way to reach the base.
Building a mixed service piece by piece
Start with function rather than pattern. A dinner fork runs about 8 in (20 cm), a dessert or salad fork about 7 in (18 cm); a French soup spoon has a large oval bowl, the round-bowled spoon is for cream soups. Count one of each per person for eight, then add serving spoons, a ladle and a pair of serving forks. In France a boxed service is sold as a ménagère, often 37 pieces for twelve, with the knives bought separately: expect knives from another maker in a mixed lot.
Mixed patterns look intentional when weight and finish agree. Lay candidate pieces side by side, sort by handle length and heft, and keep the ornate and the plain in separate meals rather than on one plate. Avoid the dishwasher: heat and detergent dull the plate and contact with stainless steel pits it. Hand wash, dry at once, and store in cloth rolls. Our guide to French country tableware shows how plated flatware sits beside faience and pressed glass on the same table.
What to compare
| Form | Suggested Use | Decisive Check |
|---|---|---|
| Dinner fork and knife | Everyday meals | Plate on the tine backs and the knife bolster |
| Serving spoon and ladle | Sunday table | Bowl wear and bent handles |
| Boxed ménagère for 6 or 12 | Complete service | Count against the pattern and test the knife blades |
Your buying checklist
Continue planning your room
Frequently asked questions
What does EPNS mean on flatware?
EPNS stands for electroplated nickel silver: a base alloy of copper, nickel and zinc coated with a thin layer of silver by electrolysis. The mark identifies the type of plating, often with a maker’s name beside it. It does not give a date and it does not indicate sterling silver, which carries hallmarks of its own.
Can silverplate flatware go in the dishwasher?
It survives a few cycles and then shows the damage: dulled plate, pitting where it touched stainless steel, and knife blades loosened as the pitch in hollow handles softens. Hand wash in warm water with a mild detergent, dry immediately, and store the pieces in cloth rolls away from rubber and wool.
Is worn silverplate worth replating?
Rarely for single pieces, because the workshop cost usually exceeds the value. Replating makes sense for a large matching service, a rare pattern or a sentimental set. Wear on the back of a fork is cosmetic and can stay; bare base metal inside a spoon bowl affects taste and is the case where replating or replacement is justified.
How do I tell silverplate from sterling?
Look for hallmarks. Sterling carries the Minerva head in France, the lion passant in England or STERLING and 925 in the United States. Plate carries EPNS, EP, A1, a plating numeral or no mark at all. Worn plate shows yellow or pink base metal on high points; sterling never shows a second metal.
Sources & further reading
- Canadian Conservation Institute — Care of metal objects — Recommends mild polishes and soft cloths for silver and plated surfaces and notes that every polish removes metal.
