Interesting Dilemma - A UK Sheffield Silver Item: Is it Sterling or Silverplate? Part 2 of 2 - It is sterling silver

My item finally arrived and I could not believe it was a miniature sugar bowl with handles, meant to be a personal dinner salt dish with a tiny spoon. Measure 2 inches by 1 inch or so. The seller never gave a size, and declared it was silverplate.

The markings are the same as a set of sugar and creamer from 1920, in the same pattern, but much larger, and selling for 1K. So this little piece of sterling silver, has the Sheffield Crown Hallmark, the 'lion passant' of British sterling silver hallmark, and the capital letter for the year 1891 as a Y hallmark.

You will note the address of the company is slightly different between 1891 and later, the street name Regent acquires a W. for West, as London grew so did the thoroughfares, changing it in 2 sections, East and West.

The next piece is a tea caddy, took me a while to figure that out as most sets don't show a tea caddy, yet during this period there were all kind of additional silver containers and accessories. The caddy is silverplate I think, and not marked at all, except for the same company, and an etched stag head with a globe and a cross above it, this is a Christian Catholic symbol that became important during the reign of a monarch who was devout, in the 12th century, The stag also represents Saint Hubert, the patron saint of hunters.

The large piece is also an antique British silverplate item, with a registration number and initials. Regular size open sugar cube container, which would have a pair of small tongues to pick up the cubes.

I learned a lot about Sheffiield which was an early silver plate producer, and also had their sterling silver hallmarks and assay symbol, the crown, since mid 18th century.

The beginning of a small collection of British antique silver, plate and sterling, with fabulous elegant designs.