What is the difference between a salver and a tray?

In the listings, very little. "Tray" turns up in just over half the titles and describes the same flat footed plate as "salver". Where the words do separate is at the small end: six to eight inch pieces are called card trays, card waiters or teapot stands.

Are most antique salvers solid silver or plated?

You meet both in near-equal numbers. Sterling is declared in one large group of titles, plated in another of similar size, with "solid" adding more to the silver side. Old Sheffield plate, fused silver on copper, forms a smaller separate group dated roughly 1780 to 1850.

How old are the salvers on Sellingantiques?

The dated field runs from 1700 to 1960, and about half the listings carry a clean year rather than an era label. Victorian is the largest single label, then the 1930s, Georgian, Edwardian and the decades either side of 1900. Sampled hallmark years include 1731, 1735, 1739 and 1742 at the early end, and 1966 and 1969 at the late. Era labels such as "19th Century" and "Georgian" should be read as approximations.

Which assay towns appear on British salvers?

London, Sheffield, Birmingham and Chester come up regularly in the titles. Glasgow, Dublin, Newcastle and York appear only occasionally, the last two just once each in the sample.

How big do salvers get?

Sizes quoted in titles start at six to eight inches for card trays and run up through twelve to fourteen inches to sixteen, seventeen and nineteen inch pieces. The largest recorded are three 47cm salvers and a pair of 70cm Georgian trays. Stated weights reach 2.9kg and above.

Are square salvers common?

No. Circular is the default shape, and square accounts for only nineteen titles. Those that are square cluster in the 1920s and 1930s, sitting alongside the cocktail and drinks trays of the same years.