Sterling weighted hollowware is sterling silver (925 % per 1000% or higher silver content) filled with something for weight and to protect the thin shell that is the item such as a candle stick or compote base. The outer silver can be various thickness, depending on the maker. The fill can be plaster, cement, tar, a mixture of resin and different substances that have a tendency to expand and explode if opened improperly.
The fill that is used most of the time is called pitch. Pitch is tree sap. Tree sap is just that, sap from a tree and we mix the pure sap with a fine powder to help bind it, because by itself, pitch is very brittle and would crack at the smallest of hits.
Non-weighted hollowware is hollowware that is thicker and has no fill. Silver by nature is a soft metal, not like pewter soft, but soft enough to get a ding or dent if mishandled or constructed poorly. Sterling from our country is identified with the number 925 sometimes, but the older silver will say” Sterling”. Sterling from other countries will use symbols. You cannot test silver on top of your piece to see if it is silver. A silver-plated piece will test positive because the plating is pure silver. It’s best to talk with a professional, and ask them to show you where they see the information.
