Dating silverware can be quite confusing. While sterling silver items are mostly always hallmarked, silver plated items can also sometimes have hallmarks. Silver hallmarks can contain a makers mark or symbol, a silver content mark, an assay mark, a date letter, and a region symbol or code.
The internet is an invaluable resource for deciphering these marks, or there are many books available. Unless your eyesight is very good, or the marks are exceptionally clear, you will probably need a magnifying glass or a jewellers loupe to be able to see the marks clearly.
There are some excellent sites that will give you not only the name of the maker, and the date, but also enlarged images of the actual marks, so that you can be sure your identification is correct.
Good sites will also tell you if the maker of that item mostly dealt in sterling silver, or silver plated wares. There is a great deal of satisfaction in being able to accurately date, and attribute an item, to a particular maker. And what you uncover will usually have a bearing on the value. As with fine china makers, the quality varies, and some silver makers are more collected than others.