John Wanamaker Sterling Silver Plate

Q: About 25 years ago I found a sterling silver plate at a sale. It was in a cloth bag labeled “John Wanamaker, Jewelers & Silversmiths.” The plate is marked with the initials “JW” on one side of an eagle and “925” over “1000” on the other side. John Wanamaker’s department store was a Philadelphia landmark, but did they also make silver?

A: John Wanamaker opened a men’s clothing store in Philadelphia with his brother-in-law in 1861. After his brother-in-law died, Wanamaker expanded the business into an upscale department store. Some items, like your silver plate, were made for Wanamaker’s by other companies. The numbers “925” over “1000”are the standard for sterling silver in the United States and many other countries. Wanamaker’s became part of Hecht’s in 1995, which is now part of Macy’s.