These are known as "Weighted" and are hand worked sterling layered around a concrete base,STILL considered "Sterling" salt & pepper shakers! if you guys want a very rare and unusually expensive "Find" why not just go up into the hills and go prospecting for gold,you wont be bothering anyone and you just MIGHT find something more valuble than these beautiful shakers! I cant understand how so many people would and do spend hours a day tryin to detract from good honest sellers auctions by typing disparaging and hurtful remarks while they items are indeed what the seller says they are, and really nice to boot! The only reason the marks on the bottom of the shakers might LOOK diffeent is because maybe the light is hitting each differently,otherwise it is obvious to me they are from the same set...stop your bellyaching and BID! Good luck Jim,with a lot of this crowd youll ned it!