Vintage antique silver newest plated 13.5 inch platter

gorgeous silver plated serving tray with a lion etched into the center wearing a crown and holding branches
a hand is stamped on the undersigned.
a stunning piece!

The earliest form of silver plating was Sheffield plate, where thin sheets of silver were fused to a layer or core of base metal of copper. Since about 1840 a process called electroplating has been used.

In the eighteenth century, silver eating utensils and serving pieces were popular in Europe and America for those who could afford them. Gorham Manufacturing Company began making newest table silver in the United States in 1831. Each piece was hand-forged, and two men could produce two dozen pieces a day.

it is a STUNNING piece of history that you can actually use!