Acquire old silver or brass pans and trays. People often pass antique silver and brass items down in their families from generation to generation. Garage sales, thrift stores, and online auctions frequently offer old antique silver or brass pans and trays.
Read history and information about antique silver and brass items. Some of the most common identification stamps on silver items are "silver," "sterling," and "925." Brass items or items that are stainless steel, silver toned, or silver plated might require testing techniques that could possibly be damaging or destructive to the trays or pans themselves, if the items are not hallmarked or stamped.
Purchase specialized metal acid test kits and touch stone. Purchase a special jewelry saw for sawing into metal items. Special metal acid test kits and tools can be purchased online or at jeweler's supply stores.
Compare the hallmarks on the silver, brass, or stainless steel server pans and trays with silver hallmark reference guides. Look for partial marks that could have been rubbed or worn off throughout the item's life. For example, an item marked "G SILVER" might have originally been stamped "STERLING SILVER," with parts of the first word worn off. Even if an item has a hallmark or partial hallmarks, perform acid tests or saw into the item to verify or confirm its metal content. Some older items contain parts that are silver, brass, or stainless steel, while other parts are only plated or iron.
Scratch the tray on a special testing touch stone to confirm a silver, brass, or stainless steel server's tray's contents. Apply the correct metal acid testing solution to the scratch mark and follow the kit's instructions. If the item is plated and has a silver hallmark, use other methods that could further mar or destroy the looks of or functional nature of the piece to verify its contents further.
Saw into different parts of the tray or pan with the jewelry saw. After sawing the item and destroying its value for use, bend apart the item so that you can examine the internal metal composition of the pan or tray. Visually determine whether to perform additional acid testing by looking at the inside of the metal that you have sawed and bent apart. Look for different colors of layered plated metals inside of the item. If there are, continue with the acid and touch stone tests on the interior parts of the silver, brass, or stainless steel antique server, pan, or tray.