A Cautionary Tale if Your Pipes Have Ivory

[Theyoungkiltman]

Just out of curiosity ron, how do you know it is Brittania silver if it is not hallmarked? Anyroad it is not just because they want to make sure it is pre-ban but just take all legal and illegal ivory.

[Ron Abbott]

Just out of curiosity ron, how do you know it is Brittania silver if it is not hallmarked? Anyroad it is not just because they want to make sure it is pre-ban but just take all legal and illegal ivory.

Some of the mounts were tested A very well known Edinburgh jewellers of George Street.
The pipes themselves are Hendersons.

But now you've got me thinking....how do they actually test silver to ascertain purity??

Silver sold in Scotland without hallmarks is certainly not unusual. I've seen a number of sets of silver mounted pipes from the late 1800s/early 1900s without hallmarks before and also seen some other items such as cups/trophies without hallmarks being sold as sterling in highly reputable auctions/quality silverware shops and I've also seen some beautiful Victorian sgian dubhs without hallmarks.

I actually have two other sets of pipes, one also silver (this time hallmarked sterling - with own design for the hand engraving) and ivory but the last set is only imitation ivory and I deliberately bought them for travel purposes about 20 years ago.

[Theyoungkiltman]

Thanks for enlightening me ron