The asian teapot I can't tell you anything about, other than I don't think it's very old, but I could be wrong! :) Sorry to not be much help to you, hopefully someone else will chime in here with more knowledge. You were right about the mark looking like the royal coat of arms. Here's a quote from Kovels about the mark & similar. "Marks like this, showing a lion and unicorn surrounding a shield topped with a crown, were used by many potteries. Although the mark looks similar to the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom, it is actually one of several similar marks used by potteries in the United States and Europe. This mark was used by the Potter's Co-operative Company on ironstone table and toilet ware from 1882 to c.1895. The co-operative was formed by a group of potters in East Liverpool, Ohio, in 1882 after a labor dispute. The group bought the Dresden Pottery Works and began making ironstone table and toilet ware. The pottery was bought by the Dresden Pottery Works in 1925. The company was out of business by 1927."

Thanks a lot! I did those searches and there are differing estimates on the age of the knives, but the majority leans toward late 1800s, with only a few saying "1900-1940." The forks are another story. There is little info on them. But as I said earlier, there ought to be something after "Bros" on the stamp if they date after 1898, so I think mine are among the company's early works. I am not even interested in their market value. I just like the fact that I am eating with something pre-20th century. YES, I use them: one fork, one knife. LOL

NOT an expert, but DO know that that Tarn-X stuff is something never to use. A few years ago, was into making wind chimes from "craft" quality flatware... off Ebay. Didn't have to spend much to end up with a LOT of the stuff. One batch was LOADED with a pattern called Partician... can't recall maker off-hand. A few monogrammed pieces but most plain and with very little serious wear on them. I used Wright's or International silver polish and a LOT of elbow grease to clean them up. Now have at LEAST 12 place setting that include knife, salad & dinner forks, tea & table spoons, round "cream" soup spoons, butter spreaders, some kinda little ladle spoons and a few serving pieces. I store them in an old thrift store silver chest and they do NOT tarnish between uses. Actually used them for everyday and ran thru dishwasher!?! After a while, started getting a dull film, so cleaned back up again and stored away. Once you clean up pieces, would definitely find some of that "silver cloth" (think that might be what it's called) to store them in. Niece helps me decorate for holidays. We set the diningroom table with Christmas plates and 7-10 pieces of silverware... just for show. Looks nice with candles around it, even if no food ever ends up on the plates!

what a wonderful find! i have silverplate that I bought when still single - never used in all of these yrs!!! I'll be using them once I get moved. I also have my MIL (and her MILs) silver. I've used some of that. we used to eat pizza using linen napkins and silver forks (while watching tv). the forks were for what might fall off of the pizza on the way to our mouths -lol! . figured I might as well use it since I have it. I still have my original stainless too. I seem to have lost a number of pieces of that since I moved here. Maybe the mice carried 'em off. use it and rotate using it. see if you can find some archival quality bags. you also might find some 'silver cloth' at a fabric store or online to use to line those boxes. my MIL (probably from her MIL) had some in silver cloth 'bags' with a drawstring closing on them.