I bought this from a bric-a-brac market some 20 years ago as I like the shape of it. I was told it was Britannia silver, which I don't think it is. It could be Britannia metal (a pewter-type alloy) but I'm not sure. It polishes up beautifully. The marks on the bottom read GILBERT followed by a sort of leopard/alien head, a sideways female symbol, and the numbers 52 below them.
Any ideas as to how I can find out more about who made it, age, and what it really is made of please?