Let Someone Else Drive....(Part 2)

After cleaning out Yellow Dog, which we did with credit cards flying, there was lunch and a bit of time at the local Antique Emporium. Leave no corner unsearched for elephants and hedgehogs!

But it was neither collectible animal that caught my eye. In the back corner of the second of three floors, I spotted some silver vases and tea pots. I'm a magpie and this was irresistible.

I had a look at a couple of pieces and picked up one of the teapots. Everything was plate and the prices were okay but not fabulous. And then I picked up a vase.  Over a foot high, it was much heavier than anything else on the shelf. More interestingly, it had hallmarks on it. Now--I like silver but I'm not quite up on my hallmarks. And wouldn't you know that M, who knows these things, was out of the country that weekend?  Most inconvenient. I asked the gentleman behind the counter but all he could tell me was that it was plate and that it was English, which I'd already figured out.

And it was the same price as the much less interesting (and much lighter) little silver plate tea pot. I consulted with another member of the knitters, one who works in a jewelry store, and we agreed that it was just too interesting.

So, here it is, pre-shined up. It's a lot shinier now,  but I tossed my jar of silver polish and need to get another to keep everything shiny at Chez Hedgehog.  I tried to take a picture of the hallmarks but they're just proving impossible, recessed a couple inches into the bottom of the vase. I got a fuzzy picture but I won't inflict it on you. M is currently translating. 



It should make a lovely straight needle holder, don't you think?