Adelaide’s Elder Fine Art’s Jim Elder said all that was known about the silverware was that it was created in 1870.

“It must have a rural connection – it would seem to be a celebration of the sheep industry,” he said.

Mr Elder said strangely, the piece had been painted over and required significant cleaning and restoration to bring it back to its former glory.

He said there was many questions surrounding the silverware.

“Often items like this carried celebratory plaques identifying the reason for their creation – but not this one,” he said. Images have been sent to historians in an attempt to find the answers.