What is the difference between a silver plate and a Sheffield plate?

The difference between a silver plate and a Sheffield plate is that one item is a type of the other. Silverplate, which is sometimes spelled silver-plate or silver plate, is the general name for any silver wares made predominantly of a base metal finished with a thin layer of pure silver.

Developed in the 1700s by Thomas Boulsover in Sheffield, England, Sheffield silverplate is a specific type of silverplate created by fusing silver with copper. This new material felt like silver but was substantially cheaper. It was then used to produce a variety of serveware, candlesticks, buttons, tea sets and more.

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