Read the marks, check whether the piece is plated or weighted, then obtain a professional composition test if its silver content remains uncertain. A home observation alone cannot establish 925 fineness.
1. Inspect marks and worn edges
Look for a fineness such as 925 or 800 and photograph the surrounding symbols. EPNS and plated descriptions point to a silver coating over another material. A different colour showing through worn areas is a reason to investigate further.
2. Check the construction
Flatware can combine silver-alloy handles with steel blades or internal filler. Candlesticks may have weighted bases. Put only the confirmed silver-alloy mass into a melt calculation; the whole object’s scale weight can greatly overstate its silver content.
3. Confirm composition professionally
Ask an assay office or jeweller whether XRF is suitable for the piece and how they distinguish a coating from the underlying metal. Laboratory silver analysis may use potentiometric titration. Agree on any sampling in advance. Tarnish, sound and magnet response do not assign an exact fineness.