Candelabra

Q: My neighbor gave me this lovely silver-plated candelabra. The marks look like “K,” “S,” and “In” inside shields, and then something that look like an octopus. It’s quite old and the silver is worn off in many places. I am thinking of cleaning it up and putting it in my little shop. Do you know who made this? 

A: This mark was used by Forbes Silver Co., which started in Meriden, Connecticut, in 1894. The company was a division of Meriden Britannia Co. and was one of the first companies that became part of International Silver Co. in 1898. This mark is one of several used by Forbes. We haven’t found any explanation for the letter “K” in the mark on your candelabra. The letters “In” might be for International. The figure that looks like an octopus is the head of an eagle. Forbes also used a similar mark with the letters “F,” “S,” and “Co.,” which stand for Forbes Silver Co. If the silver is worn off, the candelabra will probably be hard to sell unless it is re-plated.