Silver or not

[Mina]

Is there a way to tell if something is made with silver? There isn't any kind of stamp that indicates silver but it is tarnished like I would expect silver to look. Any test I can do to know for sure?

[Floorkasp]

There is a pretty cheap silver testing fluid available that you can use. Works really well. I use it quite often. I'm sure eBay will have someone selling them. Otherwise: smell it. Silver, especially when tarnished has quite a distinctive smell. You can compare the smell with something you know to be silver. Not a sure thing, but can give you a first indication..

[Mina]

Thanks, I'll try that

[28676bhe]

Sulpher, rotten eggs, ick...........

[Mina]

it's not silver

[Floorkasp]

That's a shame.
When I travelled to Morocco, I got a bunch of stuff that looked like silver. Did not pay much for it, because I was suspicious. At home, I tested it, and it was about 50-50. I use the testing a lot for vintage stuff, and sometimes you really can be fooled by your eyes.

[steiconi]

I've heard that using a magnet is a good quick check for gold (if it is attracted to the magnet, it isn't gold). Might work for silver too--the magnet is attracting iron, so good jewelry would not be affected.

This would be something to use at garage sales, not high quality establishments like y'all run and frequent. :}

[Mina]

Steiconi, would silver be attracted to a magnet or not?

[one hot beader]

Silver should not be magnetic.