Sterling silver has long been a benchmark of quality in jewelry, tableware, and decorative arts. But with so many silver-plated and mixed-metal items in circulation, it’s not always easy to tell whether a piece is truly sterling or just looks the part. So how do you know if what you’re holding is actually sterling silver?
When it comes to silver, not all that glitters is the same. Two terms that often cause confusion are plated sterling and actual sterling silver — and while they may look alike at a glance, they’re very different in terms of composition, quality, and value.
If you've ever inspected a piece of antique silver and noticed a small lion stamped into the surface, you’ve encountered one of the most recognizable hallmarks in the world of silver. But what does that lion actually signify?
When navigating the world of antique silver, few hallmarks are as iconic — or as important — as the lion passant. If you’ve come across this small symbol stamped into a piece of silverware or hollowware, you’re looking at one of the oldest and most trusted indicators of sterling silver in the world.
Among the many symbols that appear on antique silver, few are as recognizable — or as meaningful — as the lion passant. If you’ve ever examined a British silver piece closely and noticed a lion in a walking pose, that mark is doing more than adding character. It’s verifying the silver’s purity and anchoring the item within one of the oldest hallmarking systems in the world.
If you’ve come across a piece of silverware marked “International Silver Co.” or “International Sterling,” you may be wondering what that name signifies — and whether the piece in question is genuine sterling silver or something else entirely.
