On Mon, 1 Sep 2003 11:34:13 -0700, "Bob May"
wrote:

,;Mostly looks like a silver plate over the brass. The clue for this way is
,;that the numbers are brass with the plate going between them.
,;Electroplating was probably started about that time and it is a good
,;possibility that the plating was done on the metal.

Well you certainly have tweaked my curiosity. If the plating perhaps
wasn't done on the metal what are the other possibilities?

IMHO there is no way in hell that this is a silver plate. First of all
it would have shown typical silver tarnish. It does not. Second a
plate would have been applied to show a bright shiny decorative
surface cheaply and lasting. Nickel or chromium would have been
cheaper and longer lasting.