​What is EPNS

• EPNS stands for "Electro Plated Nickel Silver". Nickel Silver (or occasionally stainless steel) is the base metal onto which silver is plated. Despite its name, Nickel Silver contains no silver at all, but is an alloy of Nickel, Zinc & Copper. A layer of pure silver is deposited electrolytically on the base metal to give a silver finish.

• Silver plating was invented in the City of Sheffield and the craftsmanship associated with the trade has endured for centuries. The originators of silver-plating were George Richards Elkington and Henry Elkington who began their research in times of the Industrial Revolution. By the 1830's they had patented their processes and 1840 saw the technique of electro-plating brought to perfection.

• Silver plate or electroplate is formed when a thin layer of pure or sterling silver is deposited electrolytically on the surface of a base metal (usually nickel silver).