* * * *  IN RESPONSE TO REQUESTS FROM EBAYERS, I HAVE ADDED MORE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THIS TRAY.  EVEN WITH A BETTER CAMERA, IT IS DIFFICULT TO CAPTURE THE MARVELOUS DETAIL.  THE MARK HAS BEEN COLOR INTENSIFIED SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THE CHARACTERS.  AS I TOLD ONE EBAYER, THIS IS A PIECE THAT YOU MUST SEE FOR YOURSELF.  IF YOU ARE AN INTERESTED BUYER, MAKE AN OFFER.  IF YOUR OFFER IS IN THE BALLPARK, I WILL AGREE TO THE SALE.  IF YOU ARE NOT HAPPY WITH YOUR PURCHASE, YOU MAY RETURN THE TRAY FOR A FULL REFUND - BUT I AM QUITE SURE YOU WILL KEEP THIS TREASURE!

WHEN I CAME ACROSS THIS MAGNIFICENT TRAY, I PURCHASED IT AND IMMEDIATELY HAD IT AUTHENTICATED BY A CERTIFIED APPRAISER. 

THIS EGYPTIAN SILVER FOOTED TRAY OR SALVER MEASURES 13" BY 9 1/2" BY 1/2" AND WEIGHS ALMOST 1 POUND.

THE BRITISH INTRODUCED COMPULSORY HALLMARKING IN EGYPT IN 1916.  THERE WERE SIX ASSAY OFFICES WITH ALEXANDRIA AND CAIRO BEING THE MOST PROMINENT.  THE STANDARD GOVERNMENT MARK CONSISTS OF THREE SQUARE FIELDS.

THE FIRST SQUARE INDICATES THE LOCATION OF THE ASSAY OFFICE IN ARABIC WRITING.  WE BELIEVE THIS MARK IS FOR CAIRO.  THIS BLOCK ALSO INDICATES THE FINENESS OR PURITY OF THE SILVER.   THE "8" LOOKS LIKE A WISHBONE AND THE "0" LIKE A DIAMOND.  THIS TRAY IS MARKED 80%, A TYPICAL STANDARD FOR EGYPT.

THE GOVERNMENT MARK, A CAT, WAS USED BETWEEN 1916 AND 1945.

THE THIRD SQUARE REPRESENTS THE DATE.  THE FIRST DATE RANGE WAS A SERIF CAPITAL LETTER OF THE ROMAN ALPHABET.  THIS TRAY HAS A SERIF "U."  SINCE THE EGYPT ASSAY OFFICE HAS NEVER PUBLISHED ITS DATE MARKINGS, A PRECISE DATE REQUIRES CERTAIN ASSUMPTIONS.  IF 1916 WAS "A" THEN THE "U" WOULD BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 1936.

THE MEDALLION IN THE MIDDLE IS MOST LIKELY FOR ENGRAVING.

THIS TRAY WAS FURTHER DESCRIBED AS DESIRABLE TO SILVER COLLECTORS

THE SHIPPING CHARGE INCLUDES INSURANCE

THANKS FOR LOOKING AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.  I AM ALSO INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THIS PIECE.  EBAYERS ARE A GREAT RESOURCE!