This is a beautiful and ornate example of a late 19th-century silver-plated expandable trivet by the Middletown Silverware Company. Here's a more detailed analysis based on its history:

Hallmark Interpretation
"M.S.G." likely stands for Middletown Silverware Group or Manufacturing Silver Goods, a marking variation seen in some transitional pieces.

"F.P." = Fine Plate (a designation for silver-plate quality)

"N.S." = Nickel Silver, indicating the base metal, a copper-nickel-zinc alloy often used for electroplating

"Conn. U.S.A." confirms origin in Middletown, Connecticut.

These markings confirm this was made before or just around the 1899 merger with International Silver, and that it was intended as a premium plated item.

About the Trivet (Design & Craftsmanship)
Pattern #28: While specific factory catalogs for Middletown are rare, the numbering system typically denotes design style or size. This intricate model suggests it was one of their more decorative or premium lines.

Pierced (openwork) floral design: Highly stylized and aligned with the Aesthetic Movement or High Victorian styles, popular from the 1870s–1890s.

Footed construction: Raises it from the table, both practical (protecting surfaces from heat) and decorative. These features make it more valuable and collectible than a simple, flat trivet.


Condition:
Alterations: Original Condition Unaltered
Imperfections: Some Imperfections
Condition Notes: Expected wear, with some tarnish and plate loss—normal for an item well over 100 years old.

Origin:
United States

Materials & Techniques:
Silverplate

International: No International Shipping for this auction.
Combined shipping: Please ask about combined shipping for multiple lots before bidding.

Original Condition Unaltered; Some Imperfections; Expected wear, with some tarnish and plate loss—normal for an item well over 100 years old.